A Twist in the Myth: Sereclipse
by Kashoku1
Summary: SG-1 is no stranger to the odd and unusual, but when they find themselves on a mission to a planet called Spira nothing will prepare them for the technology the world has to offer. Their first encounter with the locals is with a pair of sphere hunters known as Sereclipse, and nothing is the same when they willing to share their amazing technology with the new strangers from Earth.
1. Chapter 1

"Shimatta!" Kage growled, jumping back as a yet another fiend appeared before her. It didn't give her a moment's pause before it attacked, swiping its sharp claws at her practically bare abdomen. Effortlessly, Kage twisted out of the way and brought her sword down on the fiend's back with a snarl. "Where the _fuck_ are all of you coming from?"

The new fiend didn't give her a moment's respite as it came around for another attack, Kage parrying its claws with her sword. She loved fighting without a doubt, but even she had her limits and she was starting to get tired. Kage wasn't sure how many more fiends she'd be able to fight before she started making mistakes, ones that could get her killed, but she knew for a fact that she wasn't giving up. She'd be damned if she ever turned back on a sphere hunt, especially not when she could see the glow of the sphere peeking around the corner ahead.

The only thing that stood between Kage and the sphere was this fiend, and it wouldn't be a problem much longer. With a grin, Kage adjusted her grip on her sword and immediately went on the offensive. That sphere was hers.

~*~

Kashoku smiled softly, breathing deeply the ocean air as she watched a few birds fly past, their wingtips just skimming the edges of waves. It was so peaceful in Besaid, which was exactly why Kashoku had chosen to keep a tent in the village even during her Sereclipse years.

Kashoku let her thoughts drift to Kage, the other half of their sphere hunting group, and wondered where in Spira she was now. When Kashoku had first departed from the group to pursue her career in singing Kage had kept her informed on where she was whenever she left an area in what Kashoku figured was the hope that the other would choose to join her again. As the years passed, however, and Kashoku continued to just cheer Kage on from Besaid or Luca that news slowly stopped coming until Kashoku only knew where Kage had been when Rikku grumbled about the Gullwings's encounters with the blonde. It saddened Kashoku what their friendship seemed to be deteriorating to, but Kashoku never voiced this to Kage when the other visited her. They rarely got to see one another anymore with their schedules - mostly with Kashoku's schedule - and Kashoku never wanted to ruin those moments by bringing it up. There was also the fact that with as busy as Kashoku's manager, Matsu, was keeping her, Kashoku never really had the time for those conversations anymore anyway.

"I thought that I would find you here."

Kashoku glanced behind her, brushing her honey brown hair back as the wind swept it into her face. With a smile at the other woman Kashoku stood up and turned to face her. "I just came out here to watch the ocean a bit," Kashoku said, stepping from the large rock she had been sitting on to the beach sand.

"It is beautiful," Yuna agreed, her eyes - one blue, the other green - bright in understanding as she gazed out at the ocean. The two women stood there for many minutes before Yuna broke the calm silence. "I was wondering if you wanted to join me at the Gunner's Gauntlet?"

Kashoku grinned happily, having missed practicing with her dress spheres in all the chaos involved in singing. "Of course! It would do me good to practice. I'm sorry I haven't been able to join you much lately," she apologized as they made their way by foot for the Gauntlet. Whenever Kashoku was free she would return to Besaid to relax and she and the High Summoner had grown into the habit of spending their days at the Gunner's Gauntlet together. Kashoku always looked forward to those days because they were when she could let out any frustrations she was feeling without the fear of being judged, but her schedule had kept her away from the island for the past several months.

"Don't worry about it. You're here now," Yuna said as she drew her Al Bhed pistols. "When I heard that you were on Besaid I thought I would try and catch you before you headed back to Luca. How long will you be able to stay?"

"Only today," Kashoku explained regretfully. "I have to be back for rehearsal tomorrow, and there's a performance later in the day."

"Then we'll surely make the most of your time here."

"I look forward to it," Kashoku laughed, beginning to enjoy herself much more now that she was with a friend. She was glad that she had called off today's rehearsal and had come to Besaid instead. Matsu had been working her like crazy and only hours ago Kashoku had been at the point of being sick of her own voice. She would probably regret running away tomorrow, but at the moment Kashoku was willing to accept the consequences. The thing she missed most now that she was famous on Spira, other than her friends, was the ability to do what she wanted; to make her own decisions without someone clucking their tongue at her in disapproval. Kashoku had until tomorrow afternoon's final rehearsal before the performance, and she was definitely going to spend that time on herself for once.

Surely she deserved just one day of freedom.

Kage dropped her sword with a clatter next to the sphere stand as she kneeled down in front of it, wincing as a newly acquired wound was aggravated by the movement. "As many fiends as I went through to get to you," Kage grumbled as she started checking the sphere over, "You had damn well better be interesting at the very least."

The realization that the sphere wasn't a dress sphere didn't really disappoint Kage so much as it annoyed her. She already had all the dress spheres that she wanted – and then some – but Kage wasn't really interested in carrying a chunk of Spira's history around either.

Frankly, she didn't give a damn what had happened on Spira before she was born and part of her was inclined to just leave the damn sphere here for some other hunter to find. Kage hadn't just spent the whole day fighting fiends to walk out empty handed though, so she went ahead and looked the sphere's information over. If there was nothing of interest, she would just sell it to some fool at a Sphere Theatre. If it was interesting though, then it'd be something to rub in the Gullwings's faces later. And one thing Kage never missed was the change to rub something in her rival sphere hunting group's faces.

Scanning over the information so she knew what important bits to rub in Rikku's face next time she saw her, Kage's eyes caught on a single phrase. "Eternal Gateway..?" she murmured, brows furrowed. Kage had never paid any attention to history in school, but even she knew that an Eternal Gateway had never been mentioned in the curriculum. "What the hell is that?"

Growing curious Kage continued on, paying more attention now as further information about the Gateway was given. By the end of it, Kage was left staring at an old map of Spira, a small grin beginning to work its way onto her lips. Whatever the Eternal Gateway was, it sounded like a huge discovery and it seemed like exactly what Kage needed to show the Gullwings who was best - Sereclipse. After all, if the Gateway had never been mentioned in school then that must mean that no one had ever found it. That was all Kage needed to know and she quickly made up her mind.

Shoving herself to her feet, Kage took the sphere, picked up her sword, and started the long walk to the exit. _Lunestis_, the airship Kashoku and Kage bought for their Sereclipse purposes, wasn't far from the entrance to the cave and Kage boarded it quickly, programming in her destination. Kage's first stop would be Besaid, and if she couldn't find Kashoku there, then Luca.

Sereclipse had disbanded a long time ago, but no matter what Kage still considered Kashoku as a part of the team. There was no way Kage was going to leave her best friend out of what seemed like the biggest find Sereclipse may ever make, whether Kashoku actually wanted to be part of it or not. Kage couldn't help but think of the Eternal Gateway as the hunt that could bring the two friends together again.

~*~

"I should probably go back soon," Kashoku said with a sigh. She had had a lot of fun at the Gauntlet with Yuna, but she didn't want to take up all of the High Summoner's time. She just wished she didn't have to return home yet. Despite the fact that she would be alone in the tent, time would seem to fly by once she stepped through the door until it was time to return to Luca and to the fame. Yuna glanced at her and smiled knowingly.

"To rest for the performance?"

"Yes," Kashoku nodded. "It's only a short one to promote a charity, but I don't want to be ill-prepared…"

"Perhaps a walk would help," Yuna suggested for her friend.

"Perhaps so," Kashoku agreed. "Thank you for inviting me today."

"You looked like you needed it."

"I did," Kashoku admitted. "I had fun."

"Good. Enjoy your walk, Kashoku. I think I'll return now as well and pay Wakka and Lulu a visit. Good luck in your performance tomorrow."

The two women parted ways, Yuna heading for the village as Kashoku started on the longer route to get back to her tent, not really wanting to rush back home. Kashoku's reluctance wasn't because she didn't want to do the performance tomorrow. On the contrary, she loved to sing. It was just that in Luca, Kashoku never seemed to be able to get any peace and the stress was getting hard to manage alone.

Here in Besaid, Kashoku was able to walk around without being hassled by any fans and was able to just be her. No where else in Spira was she able to have such freedom due to everyone constantly looking to her as their favorite celebrity, always waiting for her to either set an example or to screw up.

It was exhausting to deal with, especially on top of Matsu always pushing for Kashoku to make herself appeal to the crowds more. Kashoku sighed as she recalled Matsu's idea of 'appeal' and shook her head. "After this performance, I think I'm going to tell Matsu I need a break," she murmured softly, disappointed in herself for having to come to this. "I have got to get away from all of that for a bit longer than one day..."

Kashoku's attention was drawn to the sky as a large aircraft passed overhead, heading for the village. Kashoku stared after it in shock for a second before a large smile blossomed across her lips. "Kage..." Kashoku instantly regretted her decision to take the long way to the village. Kage wouldn't know that she was there, so her friend was most likely just going to perform a cursory look around and then leave again when she couldn't find Kashoku. Biting her lip, Kashoku broke into a run for the village. She just hoped that she got there in time.

~*~

Kage walked through the village in Besaid warily, keeping an eye on everything around her. She never really saw the appeal to the island that Kashoku had. True, there were many kind people on Besaid, but Kage had always been more interested in the fact that there were also many people there that she recognized, far more so ever since Sin had been defeated. The first time Kage had come with Kashoku to the village after a sphere hunt Kage had commented on that and Kashoku had smiled. Kage was just glad that it hadn't taken Kashoku much longer to realize the warning for what it was. Naïve Kashoku may be, but she wasn't stupid.

Kage just hoped that Kashoku knew what she was doing living in such a place. Although, as Kage stopped in front of Kashoku's tent she wondered if Kashoku was living there at all. A look inside the tent confirmed that Kashoku was on Besaid, but the many items Kashoku had brought with her and scattered around couldn't even begin to hide the barely lived in look the tent held.

"Well at least I don't have to go to Luca," Kage muttered, stepping in and making herself at home. She didn't know how long she was going to be waiting for Kashoku, so it was best to start getting comfortable. Kage glanced at Kashoku's sphere stand but made no move to put the sphere in it yet. Until Kashoku got there, she didn't want anybody to wander by and get a peek at it. Instead, she set about to redressing the gash on her leg which had started bleeding anew during her walk to the tent. Kage would be more than grateful when Kashoku got there to heal the wounds with her White Mage abilities.

Kage's head snapped up as she heard a set of footsteps stop just inside the tent, her sword in her hand before she even straightened up. "Get out."

The woman raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms as she gave Kage an interested look. "What a hostile way to greet an old friend, Kage. I just wa-"

"Go to hell," Kage cut her off coldly.

"Wanted to see how you were doing. It has been so long." The woman smiled and Kage sneered at her in response.

"Never couldn't even be long enough, Shika. Now, I won't say it again. Get. Out."

Shika's bright green eyes darkened as she gave Kage an angry look. "You ungrateful little bitch," she snarled, her anger twisting her features until her attractiveness faded. "Who are you to think you can just leave whenever you want? We're giving you another chance here and you act like this?"

Kage simply shifted into a fighting stance. "Kage, think reasonably here," Shika tried, attempting to hold back her anger. "What good are you without us?"

"I find it funny how you just used 'good' in a sentence referring to you," Kage said.

"Kage!"

"Get out, Shika, or I swear I will kill you here and sleep all the better for it," Kage threatened, her dark blue eyes serious.

"Deny it all you will, Kage, but you know it's true. You run around here killing fiends and finding spheres, but that's an empty existence. You have no purpose as long as you do that. You're just wasting your immortal days screwing around, letting your talents go to waste!"

"As much as I appreciate your _concern_, Shika, it's _my _ life and I'll live it how I want to. And for the record, I'd rather those talents went to waste than use them for you again."

"You're making a huge mistake, Kage," Shika warned.

"That mistake was made many years ago. Now I'm just fixing it," Kage said, smiling thinly.

"You don't understand the chance you're being offered here, Kage. If you were anyone else, we'd have already killed you. The only reason I haven't personally slit your throat is because-"

Kage lunged at Shika, bringing her sword down in an arc in the exact spot where the woman's neck had been before she'd dodged backwards. Shika glowered at her from outside the tent, her hands near her hidden knives but not willing to pull them out in public. "Try it, Shika, and yours will be the first body to hit the floor," Kage said, her voice deathly soft.

"If they weren't protecting you," Shika growled, "you would have been buried long ago."

"Go fuck yourself."

Shika spit on the ground near Kage and stormed off leaving Kage to frown after her. Who the hell had Shika been talking about? The only person on Spira that would even give a damn if someone killed Kage or not was Kashoku and Shika certainly wouldn't hold back on the singer's behalf. With a frustrated sigh, Kage banished her sword and practically collapsed onto a chair as she began to remove her wound dressing. The fast approaching footsteps reassured Kage that she wouldn't need it anymore.

"Kage?" Kashoku asked, just slightly out of breath as she hurried into the tent. When she saw Kage staring at her, she closed her eyes in relief. "I'm so glad you're okay…"

"And I wouldn't be why..?"

Kashoku ignored her friend's grumpiness as she gave her a tight hug. "One of the villagers said they had seen you head here and that you were injured… When I saw Shika leaving, I was worried she had taken advantage of the situation and had done something."

Kage snorted derisively. "I could be half-dead and Shika still wouldn't be able to do anything to me, Kashy. You worry too much."

Kashoku said nothing, switching to her White Mage dress as she took a look at Kage's leg. "Kage, you need to be more careful," she murmured as she cast a healing spell on Kage. When she pulled back, Kage looked as good as new.

"And here I thought I was being careful in not hunting those assholes down and killing them all," Kage said calmly as she stood up and headed for her bag.

"Kage," Kashoku frowned, her large brown eyes filled with concern. "You promised me you wouldn't start anything with them."

"I didn't!" Kage snapped, throwing her bag to the side as she held the sphere she had found earlier. "Shika just invited herself in and I showed her out nicely, when what I _really_ should have been doing was silencing that mouth of hers forever."

Kashoku sighed and pulled Kage into a hug. "I just worry about you, Kage. They've left you alone for the most part since you quit doing their dirty work, but… I don't want them to tempt you into starting something that you can't come out of."

Not wanting to talk about this any longer, Kage pulled away from the hug and headed for the sphere stand, Kashoku following her curiously. "Did you find something on your last hunt?" she asked, letting the argument drop.

Kage's features brightened and she threw a quick grin back at her friend. "Hell yeah I did. This is actually why I came to find you."

Kashoku made a show of pouting, although she really was a bit upset that Kage hadn't come just to visit her. "Is that the only reason you came?"

Kage rolled her eyes, but humored Kashoku anyway. "I guess I might have missed you a little bit, too."

Kashoku smiled, her mood lightening also as she noticed Kage's veiled excitement. "You really found something good, didn't you?"

"Kashy, if it was bad, it would be sold by now," Kage snorted. After a moment, she smiled and looked back at Kashoku. "But yeah… I really think I did, Kashy. I was actually wondering if… Never mind," Kage cut herself off. "Come look at this first."

Kashoku furrowed her brows for a second, wondering what Kage had wanted. Deciding she could find out in a little bit, Kashoku joined Kage beside the stand and watched as Kage activated the sphere. Beside her, Kage was grinning like a fool, staring at the sphere with the sort of eagerness they had both held on their very first sphere hunt, something Kashoku hadn't seen her have for more years than she could remember. Curious, Kashoku shifted her gaze to the sphere as it began retelling of the Eternal Gateway, quickly enrapturing her with its brief description.

"Eternal Gateway…" Kashoku murmured. "It's in Old Spiran." Kashoku turned, giving Kage a quizzical look. "Have we ever found a sphere in Old Spiran before?"

Kage shrugged. "I never really noticed," she admitted. Kashoku's smile said everything. "Hey, if you're asking me, you must not have noticed either!"

Kashoku's eyes shone with mirth as she turned back to the sphere to spare Kage. "I'm pretty sure they've all been in New Spiran, but I wasn't sure about the ones you've gotten lately."

"We'll assume they were in New Spiran," Kage said, staring at the old map of Spira that was projected as though it were a puzzle she wanted to solve. "That does lead to the question of why this one isn't, though…"

"The map is old, isn't it? The land is still so young and mostly in one piece. Spira is a relatively young planet, but this…it is almost as if this was created at Spira's birth," Kashoku eyed the map curiously.

"Well," Kage shrugged, "It makes sense, doesn't it? Old people preferring to put their spheres in Old Spiran. We use both languages so casually nowadays I hardly tell the difference what I'm speaking anymore.

"I suppose so…"

"You know what that means, though, don't you, Kashy?" Kage asked excitedly. "Whatever is through the Eternal Gateway is important if it's this old! We've _got_ to find it now."

"Kage, it could be _anywhere_ on Spira…"

Kage shook her head. "The map the sphere is showing is of Spira and, as you can see, gives a pinpoint for where the Gateway is," she said, pointing out a part of the projection that Kashoku _hadn't _seen until then. "One guess what the first problem is."

"Drift," Kashoku said. "The land formation has changed and drifted since this was made. That shouldn't be too hard to adjust though. If we just compared this map to a current one of Spira, we should be able to figure out the general area of where the Gateway is hidden."

"We?" Kage asked, grinning.

Kashoku quickly realized what she had said and cast an apologetic smile at her friend. "Sorry, Kage. I got caught up in the moment and forgot that this isn't what I do anymore."

Kage's frown was instant. "Kashy… I know you're really into this singing crap and I support that I guess, but… I really want you to join me on this one. As big as this find is, don't you think _Sereclipse _deserves to find it?" Before Kashoku could say anything, Kage jumped to her feet, determined to ward off any excuses Kashoku might make. "Hell, you don't even have to rejoin after this. It could just be for old times' sake or something. But I really want you to work with me on this, for this to be _our_ find."

Kashoku frowned, biting her lip as she thought about it. She had to admit, the Gateway, which seemed to hold something important if Kage's theory was correct, was very tempting to go after. And really, the chances of Kage finding it now that she knew it existed were nearly 100%. That Kage had stopped to come and ask for Kashoku's help meant that her friend really did want her there despite how much they had drifted apart in the last few years. Maybe, though, this was Kage's way of acknowledging that drift and her attempt to fix it. That alone made up her mind.

Kashoku smiled at Kage, instantly abating the worry in the blue eyes. "When are we going?"

"The moment we figure out the destination," Kage responded promptly. She couldn't believe that Kashoku had accepted so easily! Kage couldn't stop the grin from forming on her lips again. Maybe there was hope for Sereclipse after all, even if Kashoku never hunted with her again after this.

Kashoku had figured Kage would say that. The bigger the find, the sooner Kage always liked to start on it. Kage really was paranoid about other sphere hunters getting to her prizes before her, even when she knew she'd be the only one hunting for a particular item. "You do realize, Kage, that if what we find benefits all of Spira, we can't keep it to ourselves."

Kage snorted. "Like hell! You forget that whatever is behind the Gateway wasn't supposed to be found."

"We don't know that for sure, Kage," Kashoku reminded. "But if what we find is best left hidden, then I suppose we'll just leave it there."

"Not keep it?"

"Kage, you're hardly the person who should be keeping anything that is bad enough to be hidden from all of Spira," Kashoku laughed.

Kage sighed heavily, blowing her long blonde bangs out of her face in annoyance. "You're a pain in the ass to hunt with, Kashy. Why do we have to share what we find with anybody?!"

"Because it's the right thing to do," Kashoku said simply, smiling as she listened to Kage grumble some more. Kashoku hadn't realized how much she had missed her friend until now. She had no idea how she was going to handle it once this hunt was done and over with and they both went back to their separate lives. And speaking of separate lives…

Kashoku sighed, "The one hitch in all of this is that I've got a performance tomorrow afternoon."

"So cancel it," Kage said, rolling her eyes.

Kashoku bit back a sharp comment and calmed herself. "No. I'm not going to disappoint my fans like that, Kage. Look, why don't we just figure out where we're heading and then we'll worry about my concert after that," Kashoku reasoned. "It's only noon now so we can easily start looking today and just work until tomorrow afternoon. If we haven't found the gateway by show time tomorrow, it's just a small charity event so it'll only take about an hour out of the search. I'll return right after it and we'll continue on looking."

Kage shrugged, not really caring. "Fine, whatever. I'll go get a map."

Kashoku just sighed. When Kage returned, Kashoku took the map and began comparing them, letting Kage flop down on her bed. After a few moments, she smiled, marking a spot on the current map. "I think I've got something."

"Wonderful," Kage said, rolling onto her side to peer at the two maps over Kashoku's shoulder. "Care to share?"

"If you look, Bikanel Desert is really close to where the Gateway was marked as having been. Going by the paths the other landmarks took I'd say it's a pretty safe bet to say that that's our place."

Instead of saying anything, Kage watched Kashoku's face closely, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Kashy… You're planning something and I have the distinct feeling that I'm going to want to say hell no to whatever it is."

Kashoku sighed and put the current map of Spira down carefully. Turning to face Kage, she put on her game face. "What I'm thinking," she said slowly, knowing that Kage wasn't going to like her plan, "is that we should talk to Nahla and get a search set up."

"I can live with that," Kage said grudgingly, her sharp eyes still watching Kashoku closely.

"And, though I know you won't like it, that we should ask the Gullwings for help."

"I knew it!" Kage jumped from the bed angrily. "You want to let the Gullwings in on this?! How could you even suggest that to me?!"

"Kage," Kashoku said exasperatedly, "Rikku _knows_ the Bikanel Desert. If the Gateway really is there, she'll be a big help."

"Oh yeah, I can see it now," Kage sneered. "She'll find it by tripping over the damn thing while trying to figure out where the hell she is. Rikku isn't worth counting on, Kashy. We should just do this ourselves."

"And prolong the hunt for who knows how long? Kage, please think about it. You just don't want to share whatever we find and you know it. If what's through the Gateway can help Spira in the long-run, don't you think we should share it?"

"That would depend _entirely_ on what was actually through the Gateway," Kage said coldly, furious with Kashoku for even suggesting asking for the Gullwings's help. Kashoku may be friends with the trio, but Kage sure as hell wasn't and Kashoku knew that! The other should have known better than to suggest working with the Gullwings on something that would be the ultimate victory over Sereclipse's rival sphere hunting group.

Kashoku closed her eyes briefly. She knew Kage wouldn't want to agree to this, but why did she have to be so controversial about it? "Kage, if you really don't want to share anything with the Gullwings, then we can just fight them for whatever is there. Or if it makes you feel better, we can steal it."

"You mean _I_ can steal it," Kage sneered. "You're useless as a thief, Kashy. I might as well do it myself."

Kashoku clenched her fists, eyes flashing. Kage may be upset with her, but that was absolutely uncalled for. "Kage, I know you don't like this idea, but you have _no_ right to treat me like this!" she snapped. "When you're out sphere hunting, you can treat whoever how you want to, but don't you dare act as though I don't deserve to be treated properly. I am your friend and you know I'm just trying to help here. So unless you want to just find the Gateway on your own, I'd advise you think about your words before you spit them!"

Kage met her gaze icily for several minutes before Kage finally looked away. Most people would have accepted that sign of defeat as an apology, but Kashoku wasn't most people. She put up with Kage's attitude a lot and didn't mind it most of the time, but she wasn't going to let an insult slide. Kashoku had always wondered if part of the reason Kage acted the way she did was because no one had ever called her on her attitude.

Kashoku broke from her musings as she heard the barely audible apology. She could ignore the 'Although you are a crap thief.' that followed since it was actually true. Sighing, Kashoku continued on. "Okay, so maybe you'd be stealing it alone, but it's always an option. I know how much you enjoy outwitting Rikku and rubbing it in her face later…" Of course, Rikku did the same thing whenever she outwitted Kage, but Kashoku didn't think she needed to bring that up, especially when it looked like Kage was actually considering her words now.

"So we don't actually have to share anything with them, right?" Kage asked.

"I suppose not..." Kashoku admitted hesitantly. She almost found herself hoping that whatever the Eternal Gateway led to was better kept secret from Spira, if only to prevent the drama that would ensue.

"So really, we'd just be using them to get to the Gateway faster," Kage pressed, a slight smirk tugging at her lips.

Trust Kage to focus on something like that. If that belief got the other to willingly work with Yuna, Rikku, and Paine without any more fuss, though, Kashoku could live with it. "I would really prefer to say it some other way, Kage, but yes, I suppose we are."

"Excellent! I'm all for it then, Kashy," Kage said, full out smirking now. "It's not every day that I get to have the Gullwings do my dirty work while I skip out with the prize."

"That's assuming there is a prize to be had at all," Kashoku reminded. "You only get to keep it if it's acceptable for Spira."

"You know, Kashy," Kage said coolly, "you really should come sphere hunting with me more often. I'd forgotten how much you piss me off."

"Kage, I thought we had agreed that if whatever is there is best left hidden, we weren't going to take it."

"You did," Kage nodded. "Then I realized which was more likely out of it being acceptable or not acceptable for Spira, especially since it'll be you deciding."

"_Kage_."

"Fine, fine," Kage grumbled. "We'll leave the damn thing alone if Your Majesty says so."

Kashoku smiled and couldn't help but tease her friend. "I'm so proud of you, Kage."

Kage rolled over and turned her back to Kashoku, showing quite clearly what she thought of the other at that moment. Kashoku laughed and stood up. "I'm going to go speak with Yuna about our request. Do you want to come?" she asked, knowing what the answer would be before she even voiced the question.

"You're kidding, right?"

"Just thought I would offer..."

"And here I thought thinking required one to use their brain," Kage sniped, but her words didn't hold any real barb to them.

"Funny, Kage," Kashoku sighed. "I'll be back soon."

"Have fun with that," Kage called uncaringly.

~*~

Wakka and Lulu's tent wasn't very far from Kashoku's, so it didn't take very long for her to arrive. Luckily, Yuna was still there. Ever observative, Lulu was the first to take notice of their guest.

"Well this is a surprise," Lulu said quietly. "Hello, Kashoku."

Yuna and Wakka both looked up at the woman's words, Yuna sending Kashoku a soft smile as Wakka greeted her cheerfully, his blue eyes shining brightly. "What brings you here, ya?"

Kashoku smiled at them all. "I actually wanted to propose something to Yuna and the rest of the Gullwings." Seeing the looks they exchanged, Kashoku added, "It's on behalf of Sereclipse."

Yuna stood and turned to Kashoku, her confusion clear. "On behalf of Kage or..?"

"On behalf of us both," Kashoku said softly.

"But I thought you quit, ya?" Wakka said.

"I did. It's just for this one mission," Kashoku explained.

"Kage has invited you _and_ the Gullwings?" Yuna asked, not quite sure what to make of the situation.

"Well," Kashoku said, "she invited me, actually. But the invitation has since been extended to the Gullwings."

"That alone has caught my interest already," Lulu said.

"What is the request?" Yuna asked.

"Earlier today, Kage found a sphere detailing of an Eternal Gateway, something I think we can all agree that we've never heard of before." Kashoku waited until they all nodded before continuing. "The map it gave was old, but I was able to match the area it marked the Gateway as being hidden at with a general area on my map at home. The Bikanel Desert. Rikku would be a huge help in searching for the Gateway since she knows the Desert so well, but having you and Paine along also would be more than welcome. Especially since we all know how well she and Kage get along…"

"I find it a little hard to believe that Kage agreed to this," Yuna said after a moment.

Kashoku groaned softly. "Don't remind me of that. Just know that she agreed and I got a lot of attitude for it. We both decided though that whatever secret the Gateway held, it would either be taken to benefit Spira or left if it was better off being hidden away."

That caught all of their attention. "You think it's dangerous?" Wakka asked seriously.

"We don't know," Kashoku admitted. "Kage has a theory that it was hidden to be kept away from the majority, if not all, of Spira."

"Unusual theory," Lulu commented. "What caused it?"

"Mainly the fact that the sphere was in Old Spiran," Kashoku sighed.

"Old Spiran? Are you sure?"

"You think I wouldn't be?" Kashoku laughed. "No, it was definitely in Old Spiran. Kage hadn't even noticed, but then again, most everyone reads both languages with the same ease so I can understand that I suppose."

"I've never heard of any spheres being in Old Spiran before, though," Yuna said, frowning. "Even if we don't take it with us though, I definitely think we should at least see what the Eternal Gateway contains." Yuna stretched out her hand to Kashoku with a smile. "The Gullwings accept Sereclipse's offer. We can even take _Celsius _if you like."

"Sure! Let me go get Kage and we'll meet you at the transport sphere."

~*~

Collecting Kage hadn't taken more than a few minutes since the sphere hunter was always ready to leave at a moment's notice. Kage had always kept her traveling pack light, preferring to keep carry only what she needed and leave the rest on _Lunestis_. Kashoku on the other hand usually had her bag stuffed with items Kage used to take and hide just to see if the other would even notice they were gone. Luckily for Kage, Kashoku hadn't unpacked much since she had arrived on Besaid and only needed to throw a few things into her bag before she was ready to go. The two friends headed up the hill for the blue transport sphere and only had to wait a few minutes before Yuna showed up.

"You guys ready up there?" Yuna asked through her communicator.

"Ready for Yuna as always!" Brother, the _Celsius's_ pilot, said through the communicator. Brother was Rikku's brother and Yuna's cousin. Despite their relation, he also had a crush on Yuna.

"Don't worry, Yuna, we're ready. The three of you can come on up any time," Buddy's soft voice came on. He was an Al Bhed like Brother and Rikku and was basically the co-pilot for the Gullwings.

The three girls touched the blue sphere and were immediately transported onto the _Celsius_. The hunt for the Eternal Gateway had begun.

~*~

"You have no idea where you're going!" Kage snapped, stopping in her tracks.

Rikku turned and frowned at her. "I do too! I'm telling you, if it's anywhere, the Gateway is-"

"Absolutely _nowhere_ near where you're leading us! Kashy, this is pointless. We've been around half the Desert by now and we've found nothing! We're just going in circles as our _guide_ leads us wherever the hell she gets the whim to go next!"

"Well that sphere _was_ old! How do you even know that this Gateway is still around here anymore?" Rikku snapped back.

"Rikku has a point…" Yuna said softly, trying to diffuse Kage's anger. "If the Gateway was supposed to be a secret, there's a high chance that someone found out about it not long after it was hidden and got to it before us."

"Hidden secrets are often found quicker than open truths are," Paine added quietly.

"Damn it!" Kage hissed, kicked at the sand.

Kashoku stood a bit away from the group, staring at the map of the Desert that she had borrowed from Nahla, the head of the campsite. They had all changed into their Thief dress spheres as it gave them a better ability to move across the sand which left much more of her skin exposed to the hot sun. The singer could feel it burning. "Guys," Kashoku called. "Has anyone tried Cactaur Nation?"

"No," Paine said. "But what could possibly be there? All that's there beside the millions of Cactaurs is that stupid cave they call sacred ground."

"And if you were hiding something," Kashoku said, "that you didn't want found, where would you put it?"

"Where no one would, or could, go…" Yuna murmured, her eyes widening. "Of course."

"Are you kidding me?" Kage groaned. "That's so fucking obvious!"

"Exactly," Kashoku said. "We never looked there because it was unreasonable, but even if it wasn't, we'd ignore it because it would seem too easy."  
"If the Gateway is in the Cactaur Cave, though, how the hell are we supposed to get to it? The cave is sealed by Cactaur magic and they don't let anyone in."

Kashoku bit her lip for a moment. "I'm sure if we talk it over with the Queen, we can come to an agreement…"

"Worth a shot," Kage sighed.

When they got to the cave, Kage immediately volunteered Kashoku as the one to speak with the Queen, citing that it was either that or Kage would do the negotiating. Kashoku reluctantly agreed to go and was relieved when Yuna volunteered to go with her. Thirty minutes later, the two returned smiling.

"So, do we have a go?" Kage asked, beginning to feel excited again.

"Yep!" Kashoku grinned.

"Only two can go, though," Yuna added.

"Oh, well, that sucks," Kage said flippantly, catching Kashoku's eye and motioning for her to go ahead into the cave where she'd follow. The look Kashoku threw at her friend was less than pleased. Frowning, Kage stayed where she was.

"I think you and Kage should go," Yuna said softly to Kashoku.

"What?" Kashoku stared at Yuna curiously. "Why?"

"Well, Sereclipse was the group that discovered the sphere. It's only fair, don't you think? Besides, we really didn't help much-"

"That's for damn sure," Kage grumbled.

"Just be sure to share the goods!" Yuna laughed, throwing Kage an amused look.

"Sure, you bet," Kage said with a fake smile.

"Yuna, you should know better than to expect Kage to share anything she finds in there with us," Paine commented.

Yuna laughed. "It was worth a try."

"No, not really," Kage snorted.

"You better at least tell us about it!" Rikku said, staring excitedly at the cave entrance.

Kashoku smiled, "We will. I don't know how long we'll be in there, so perhaps you should wait on _Celsius_…"

"No way!" Rikku grinned. "I'm going to be right here waiting until you get your butts out here. Yunie may be fine with nothing, but I'm expecting part of that booty!"

"Why?" Kage sneered. "You didn't do anything but help my tan."

Kashoku grabbed Kage's wrist and pulled her over to the cave entrance before any fights could break out. "Keep in mind," Kashoku said in amusement, "that they're our ride back."

"Whatever," Kage sighed.

The Cactaur Queen released the seal on the cave and let the two in. A few feet into the cave and they quickly realized the problem.

"I can't see a thing," Kashoku murmured, feeling her way along with the wall.

Kage frowned, keeping a hand on Kashoku to make sure they didn't lose one another. "I can make out some things, but not a lot. Honestly, how the hell are we supposed to find the damn Gateway if we can't see where we're going?"

"Maybe that's the point," Kashoku suggested. "Maybe this is another way to prevent the Gateway from being found."

"Well whoever hid the damn thing is starting to piss me off," Kage growled as she stumbled on a bit of the cave floor that stuck up. Beside her, she heard Kashoku stumble as well. "Oh, yeah, might want to watch your step right there."

"Thank you, Kage," Kashoku said sarcastically. "Very helpful of you."

Kage grinned cheekily, but the effect was lost since it wasn't like Kashoku could actually see her. "I think my eyes are beginning to adapt," she said softly. "I'm starting to make out more of the cave. Still not very much, but at least it's something."

Kashoku's heavy sigh said everything before the girl even opened her mouth. "I still can't see anything but black..."

Farther ahead in the cave, a heavy shifting noise began, drifting back to them as the sound bouncing off the walls. Kashoku and Kage both froze, staring blindly ahead as a locking mechanism sounded, followed by further grinding. "Kashy..?"

"I heard it," Kashoku whispered as another locking noise followed and she changed back into her Gunner sphere.

"Empty cave my _ass_," Kage growled, changing back to Warrior and summoning her sword. "If someone's already gotten to the gateway, I'm going to be pissed."

"I don't think the Queen has let anyone else in, Kage... She seems surprised by Yuna's and my request for entrance."

Kage swore beside her. "It could be another defense then for all we know. It wouldn't surprise me if the sphere's creator put up a safeguard."

"Should we keep going?" Kashoku asked softly, the tip of one of her guns brushing Kage's leg as she edged closer.

"Not sure... It's hard to say when I don't know what the hell is up there," Kage responded with a frown. "I say let's do it though. Whatever it is obviously isn't ready to do anything yet, so hopefully we'll still have the element of surprise if we need it."

Kashoku nodded and the two continued to move towards the noise as further grinding and locking sounds echoed down towards them. "I count six locks so far," Kashoku murmured.

"What are the chances it's going to 100?"

The grinding noise seemed like it was right on top of them and as they turned a corner, the two could only stare in awe as they noticed the large ring in the center of the room.

"I think we found the Gateway," Kage murmured.

Kashoku nodded, unable to take her eyes off of it. "Why is it lit up like that though?" she asked as the piece in the center of the ring's outline stopped shifting, the upside down triangle on the top shifted before lighting up as it locked into place.

Kage frowned, switching to her Gunner dress immediately as she realized her sword wouldn't be much help with something like this. "Defense system, maybe?"

Anything Kashoku was going to say in response was cut off by a loud whoosh as a blue surge of energy sprang out of the ring before being pulled back in, leaving what looked like a wall of water in the center of the ring. The light the energy was exuded filled the entire room, illuminating everything.

"What the hell is that?" Kage asked Kashoku quietly, only to discover her no longer there. Glancing around frantically, Kage spotted her friend approaching the Gateway. "Kashy! What the hell do you think you're doing!? You saw how far out that thing can reach! Get back here!"

Kashoku glanced back at Kage with a reassuring smile, but she jerked back towards the Gateway when there was a weird slurping noise. Standing in front of the Gateway's wall of water was a man with a pack of what was probably gear on his back and, more importantly, a gun on hand. By the time the three others who emerged from the puddle next and the original man noticed Kashoku, she already had both guns aimed at them. Taking cover behind a bit of rock, Kage silently watched what was happening from her cover. If the four even seemed like they were about to fire their weapons at Kashoku, she was ready to back her up.

"Oh, no, it's okay!" the first man said quickly setting his gun down on the ground and lifting his empty hands for Kashoku to see. "We're not here to hurt you. We mean you no harm." Kage was proud to see Kashoku only frowned slightly at the man instead of putting her guns down like Kage had been afraid she would. _Way to stay cool in the face of danger, Kashy.  
_  
The puddle of water behind the group of four chose that moment to disappear, leaving them all in absolute darkness. Tense as the situation was, Kage smirked slightly at the muted 'I _hate _when that happens.' that immediately echoed through the room. A few seconds later, three beams lit up a portion of the cave, the two in the back of the group dancing their lights along whatever they could. Kage was beyond dismayed to see that Kashoku hadn't taken the opportunity to get the hell away from the group.

The man with slightly graying hair shifted and eyed Kashoku's guns warily, his own pointed right at Kashoku's chest. The only reason Kage didn't shoot him immediately was because his light source seemed to be attached to the top of his gun. Understanding didn't keep Kage from sighting him with her own gun though, just in case. "What are the chances that you not shooting us in the dark means that you won't shoot us now?" he asked Kashoku conversationably. Kashoku just shifted nervously, her gaze darting from him, to the first man, to the woman and man in the back.

"She seems to think we're an enemy," the first man said, glancing from the other to Kashoku.

The man raised an eyebrow and glanced down at his gun. "I wonder where she could have gotten _that_ idea, Daniel... Why don't you do us a favor and fix this situation before somebody gets nervous and twitches a finger."

"Your men are that loose of finger?" Kashoku spoke up hesitantly, a small bit of humor in her voice.

"Not... usually," the slightly graying-haired man said. "Only when they have to be." His eyes searched the room for a moment before he eyed Kashoku, no actual malice in his features. "Do they have to be?"

"I would prefer they not be, actually," Kashoku replied carefully.

"Um, I'm Daniel. Daniel Jackson," the gunless man said after a few seconds, gesturing to his other teammates as he said their names. "This is Colonel Jack O'Neill," - the graying-haired man - "Major Samantha Carter," - the only female - "and Teal'c." - the huge black male in the back - "Could we… talk for a second? We're not here to hurt you, or anyone else. We're just explorers."

Kashoku hesitated only for a moment before saying something that Kage would have hit her for had she been down there.

"Only if you lower your weapons first."

"Why don't we lower them together," Colonel O'Neill suggested, eyeing Kashoku's two guns. Kashoku inclined her head and slowly began to lower her weapons, Colonel O'Neill mirroring her actions and the two behind following his lead although somewhat reluctantly. With the guns lowered, the lights were also centered on the ground, and the room was once more almost completely black.

"Well… This sort of sucks," Colonel O'Neill said in the darkness.

"Perhaps," Kashoku suggested softly, "it would be wise to take this conversation outside."

"Well," O'Neill began, "that would depend. Is there light outside?"

"When I entered the cave, the sun was up."

"Great! Lead the way then."

Kage narrowed her eyes. No fucking way. Kashoku wasn't seriously going to lead – _lead_ – the group of armed strangers out into the light, was she? Did she _not_ realize that by the time she took her first step out of the cave, they could shoot her?! With a soft growl as the three beams – soon joined by a fourth as Daniel no doubt reclaimed his weapon – began to move towards the exit, Kage prepared to follow them.

"Do you might if we use our flashlights?" Daniel asked hesitantly.

"The lights on your weapons?" Kashoku asked.

"Yeah…"

Kashoku bit her lip, and then glanced at where she thought the way out was. "Alright, but one of you shall have to walk with me. I'm not immune to the cave's darkness and I can't see to find the way out."

"Oh, I'll do it," Daniel volunteered. He smiled slightly as he stepped up next to Kashoku, his gun lifted and shining in a beam ahead of them. It only took a few seconds for them to locate the cave's exit and the group of five began to slowly make its way towards the outside, Kage following as silently as she could.

"What's your name?" Daniel asked, wanting to fill the silence around them.

"Yoshiko, Kashoku," Kashoku said. "Doozo yoroshiku."

"Beg your pardon?" Colonel O'Neill asked.

"Doozo yoroshiku," Daniel said absently, staring at Kashoku curiously. "It's Japanese."

"Japanese?" Kashoku asked, giving Daniel a surprised look.

"Oh, that's what we call the language you just spoke," he responded.

"I see. And you speak it?"

"Among other languages, yes," he smiled. "I'm actually a linguist, a person who speaks and studies several different languages."

"How many do you speak?" Kashoku asked curiously.

"Twenty-three."

"You have so many where you are from?" Kashoku exclaimed. "On Spira we have very few."

"Our planet is really diverse," Daniel said in explanation.

"Your planet? You mean you came from another world?" Kashoku asked in shock. "How is such a thing possible?"

"Well, we travel through the Stargate – the, um, large ring that we came through – and it allows us to visit other worlds that also have Stargates by creating wormholes in the galaxy to connect the two points together."

"The sphere that led me here referred to your Stargate as the Eternal Gateway," Kashoku said. "It mentioned none of what you've just told me however."

"Eternal Gateway…" Daniel murmured. "The 'gateway' part is rather obvious, but the 'eternal'… That must be referencing naquadah."

"Naquadah?"

"What the Stargate is made of," he explained. "It's extremely rare and actually doesn't exist anywhere in our solar system, to give you an idea of how rare."

"Daniel, perhaps we shouldn't tell her everything right now," Colonel O'Neill called from behind. "After all, you have to leave something to talk about when we get outside."

Daniel winced, picking up on the subtle 'shut up, Daniel' in the Colonel's tone. "Right, sorry."

The rest of the walk was in silence, and soon the group could see light ahead. Shutting off their flashlights, the four who had come through the Stargate half-lowered their weapons and followed Kashoku out into the sunshine.

"It _would _be a desert, wouldn't it?" Colonel O'Neill muttered.

Kashoku changed into back into her Thief sphere and almost relished the feeling of warmth on her skin compared to the chilled cave. When she turned back to the four travelers she noticed their looks of confusion. "Oh, I'm sorry. You must not have dress spheres where you come from, either."

"Daniel," Colonel O'Neill said with a slight cough as he took in the sudden change of wardrobe into something he'd find at a beach in Florida at Spring Break, "Stop starring."

The man with the glasses scowled, "And you aren't?"

Teal'c whirled around, startling the other four, and pointed his gun at the center of the cave. Kage stood halfway in the light, her own guns on him in her Gunner sphere. "Kage-chan!" Kashoku exclaimed, rushing to her friend's side. "Kage, they're not enemies. Please lower your guns."

"No, they _say_ they're not enemies. Don't be such an idiot, Kashoku! Not everyone tells you the truth, especially not when you have your guns on them. I can't believe you actually walked out here with three of them armed behind you!" Kage snapped, not lowering her weapons. Behind Teal'c, Carter and O'Neill both had their guns raised and sighted on Kage, ready to fire if she did.

"We don't mean you any harm," Daniel spoke, trying to defuse the situation. "Like I told Kashoku, we're just explorers."

Kage laughed derisively. "You're trying to tell me that _he_ is an explorer?" She jerked her head to indicate Teal'c, who merely raised an eyebrow silently.

O'Neill leaned over slightly, not lowering his guard at all, and murmured to Daniel, "Bad example."

"Kage, please, they just want to learn about us," Kashoku said, glancing between the group and her friend, all of whom – except for Daniel – seemed ready to shoot any moment.

"I've heard that line before," Kage growled. "That guy learned what the inside of an Al Bhed looked like. Why don't you tell your little friends to try something original?"

"Hey!" Colonel O'Neill snapped. "I don't know who you've met in the past, but we're not those people. We didn't come here to hurt anybody. We're just exploring the neighborhood."

Kage sneered. "With guns?"

"Sometimes people don't like us," O'Neill admitted. "But we don't shoot first."

"Really?

"Really," O'Neill stressed.

"So tell me," Kage asked calmly, "do you _kill_ first?"

"Kage! Stop it!" Kashoku yelled, putting herself between the group and Kage's guns. "This isn't called for! They came here peacefully. Please don't make them reconsider that."

"We're not bad guys here," Daniel stressed, taking a step towards Kage after setting his gun down again. Kage didn't even look at him as she switched her left gun's aim onto him.

"Don't. Move."

"Kage, _please_," Kashoku repeated, hating to see her friend act like this. "Please, give them a chance."

"Fuck no."

"Look, we can leave," Daniel said, trying to pacify Kage. "We'll just go back home and take this planet off our system. We can do that, and we'll never come back if you want."

"Daniel, no!" Kashoku said sharply. "You came here to make friends. You don't need to return because of Kage."

"Actually, I'm thinking we do," O'Neill said, his gaze riveted on Kage and her guns.

"Kage, that's enough! Put your guns down now."

Kage's eyes flashed as she glared directly at Kashoku. "Uh, _no_. Why _should_ I, Kashoku? They're not safe to leave on Spira. They need to just go back to wherever the hell they came from."

"They are no more dangerous than others on Spira and at least _they_ only carry their weapons for protection." Kashoku's voice was quiet, but the intensity in it drove the meaning home.

"You have no way of knowing that," Kage hissed.

"Kashoku Yoshiko is correct. Our weapons are carried in our defense," Teal'c said calmly. "Had we wanted to cause harm to anyone, we could have easily killed her within the cave, yet we did not."

"Because it would have been _stupid_," Kage sneered.

"Look, kid, if it'll make you happy, we'll go back but first lower your guns," O'Neill ordered.

Kage opened her mouth to tell the man to go to hell, but Kashoku reached out and grabbed her wrist. "Kage-chan, please… Just trust me and give them a chance. Not every person who goes around with a weapon is bad. You should know that; you're _always _armed."

"And not every nice person should be trusted!"

"Kage, I'm just asking this one thing of you. Please just do it for me."

"Kashy, I swear, if this turns out badly…"

Kashoku smiled brightly now that Kage was reluctantly lowering her guns. "Thank you, Kage," she said softly.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Kage snapped, banishing her guns. The three lighter skinned ones of the group stared at her in shock, whereas the other merely raised an eyebrow curiously. "You three! Put those the hell away before I make you."

Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter, and Teal'c exchanged looks before O'Neill shrugged. Warily, they lowered their P-90s and relaxed a little. "I guess we should be going," Daniel said regretfully, staring out at the desert around them. He hated when they came so close to learning about a planet and had to leave.

Kage sighed in annoyance from beside Kashoku as the shorter girl gave her a look. "Fine! You can stay," she snapped. "But if you try anything and I see it, I'll do worse than kill you."

"We wouldn't want to be a burden," O'Neill commented sarcastically.

"You've been one since you came through the Gateway," Kage said coolly. "Why start to care now?"

"Kage…" Kashoku sighed.

"You _said_ to lower my guns. You said nothing about me having to be nice," Kage said stubbornly. "Speaking of nice, where the hell are the Gullwings? Did I hear wrong when they said they were staying out here to wait for us?"

"No…" Kashoku said, frowning as she looked around and didn't see the three girls. "Rikku did say she'd wait…"

"Well they better get their asses back over here with the hovercraft because I'm not fucking walking back to camp," Kage growled. "The sooner we get back on the _Celsius_, the sooner your friends and we can chat."

"The _Celsius_?" Carter asked.

"The Gullwings's airship," Kashoku explained.

The blonde woman was just opening her mouth to ask what their version of an airship was when a loud shout came from the right. "Speaking of the Gullwings," Kashoku smiled.

The three women hurried down the desert towards them, grinning broadly. "You're back!" Rikku yelled happily. "What did the Gateway look like?"

"Like a big ring," Kage said with a roll of her eyes.

"Who are these people?" Yuna asked curiously, letting her eyes drift over them and their dark uniforms.

"They came through the Gateway," Kashoku said with a grin, "from another world."

"Another world?" Yuna asked, staring at the four curiously, fingers twitching as if ready to summon her weapons.

"That's so cool!" Rikku grinned, completely oblivious to any kind of threat the new strangers might pose.

O'Neill grinned back at her, amused by the girl's energy.

"Kashy's already made friends with them," Kage groused.

"Great!" Rikku said, wasting no time in introducing herself. "I'm Rikku."

"My name is Yuna. Pleasure to meet you," Yuna smiled.

"Paine," Paine said simply.

"Colonel Jack O'Neill," Colonel O'Neill said. "This is Major Carter, Daniel Jackson, and Teal'c."

"Do you mind if we bring them up to the _Celsius_ to talk?" Kashoku asked.

"Not at all," Yuna smiled. "I'll go ahead and radio Brother and let them know that we're coming."

"Let's go," Kage said, motioning for the group to move it. "The sooner you get on the damn hovercraft, the faster we can get back to camp and onto the _Celsius_."

"Hovercraft?" Colonel O'Neill asked, perking up in interest.

"Do you not have them on your planet?" Kashoku asked.

"I wish," Colonel O'Neill sighed wistfully.

The group boarded the hovercraft and rode back to camp quietly, the trip made endurable by its shortness. Once at the camp, the group used the blue transport sphere and transported onto the _Celsius_. When the tour of the airship was offered, even Kage toned her attitude down a little bit as they explored. She hated the Gullwings, but even she had to admit that they had a nicer ship than her own _Lunestis_.

By the time they all settled into the cabin, Kage had actually held two civil five minute conversations with the group of explorers, something that pleased Kashoku to no end. Apparently Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter's interest in the airships was something they had in common with Kage, and the woman had actually volunteered a few answers to their questions when she knew them. Kashoku was beginning to hope that Kage would learn to accept the four explorers.

O'Neill leaned back in his chair and whistled as he took a good hard look at the interior of the ship's cabin. "Our airships are nothing like this. What I would have given to have flown this in the Air Force. So, where are we going exactly?"

"We don't have a destination at the moment," Yuna stated.

"Landing somewhere would give you room to cause damage. Here you are contained and you can't run from me," Kage said with harsh blue eyes.

Kashoku shook her head slightly with a low sigh. "Kage, please. I just thought it would be nicer to hold our discussions aboard the _Celsius _since you seemed so enamored of it."

"Kashoku, do you mind if I ask you a little bit about your culture and history?" Daniel asked.

"I wondered how long you would hold out on that, Daniel," O'Neill said.

"Of course. What would you like to know?" Kashoku asked.

"Everything! About your people, your history, your cultures…everything."

"The people are mostly dumb and stupid, our culture was blown out the window a long time ago, and our history is filled with Sin and lots of people dying. Does that work for you?" Kage asked as she spun around in her chair.

"Ignore her," Kashoku frowned. "Not much is known about our history prior to some 1000 years ago. Then our cities were large and heavily influenced by machina; powerful machines. However, machina caused several feuds between our peoples. Our two largest cities, Zanarkand and Bevelle, declared a machina war on one another. It was a humiliating defeat for Zanarkand but worse things came from it than defeat…"

"Sin was born," Yuna stated softly.

"Sin?" O'Neill asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes. Sin was a large creature that traveled Spira killing hundreds every day…For a thousand years we had to live in fear. It is what Yevon wanted. Sin was his way of punishing us for the war. We went into a life of exile with no machina and a devoted faith to Yevon."

"So I'm assuming that was your religion?" Daniel asked.

"A false religion," Yuna stated sternly.

"I wonder if he was a Goa'uld," O'Neill stated to Teal'c.

Teal'c lifted his head slightly. "Indeed. But I have never heard of the Goa'uld using creatures as terrifying as Yuna has described."

"The Goa'uld?" Paine questioned.

"Every time we come in contact with a planet with a religion we have discovered that their supposed God or Goddess has been a Goa'uld; a parasite that takes a human host," Daniel explained.

"Are they evil?" Kashoku asked.

O'Neill snorted. "Very."

"Wouldn't surprise me then if Yevon was one of these Goa'uld," Paine mused.

"Well, I think we found out what Kage's problem is," Rikku jested.

"HEY!" Kage reached around and pulled at Rikku's hair.

"Hey! Let go! That hurts!" The Al Bhed whined.

"Kage!" Kashoku snapped.

Kage let go and folded her arms. "She deserved it."

Daniel shifted his glasses. "If you don't mind me asking…is Sin still around?"

"No, thanks to Yuna," Kashoku smiled.

"You killed Sin?" Carter asked somewhat surprised.

"Not alone, of course," Yuna smiled. "But yes. I was a summoner. One could only become a summoner if they were truly devoted to their religion. If approved by the Fayth then a person would be granted the power to wield aeons; powerful creatures to aid in Sin's defeat."

"Cool! Where can we get one?" O'Neill asked with lit up eyes.

"Once Sin was defeated the Fayth disappeared and took the aeons with them. Thankfully there is no real need for them anymore," Yuna said.

"Although one would come in handy when I'm sphere hunting. I had several nasty ones come after me when I found this one," Kage held up the sphere that mentioned the Eternal Gateway and twirled it around in her hand.

"Sphere hunting?" Daniel asked.

"It's a profession here on Spira. All of us here are sphere hunters," Kashoku began.

"Except you-," Kage broke off her sentence as Kashoku gave her a harsh stare.

"I _was_ a sphere hunter…Spheres are a way of people to record our past. They are hidden all throughout Spira and we as sphere hunters go around collecting them to uncover Spira's history," Kashoku explained.

"Except I could give a fuck about Spira's history. I collect them for dress spheres. And before Mr. 100-Fucking-Questions asks, dress spheres give someone special abilities during battle; black magic, white magic, you name it," Kage shrugged.

"The rest of us care about Spira's history, though, Kage," Kashoku frowned.

"Wow. So you all do basically what I do back on Earth. I'm an archaeologist," Daniel began, "We go around collecting artifacts to help us better understand our past."

Kashoku smiled. "It does seem that we have something in common then!"

"Do you have to fight fiends every time you come in contact with one of your artifacts?" Kage asked.

"Not exactly…" Daniel blinked.

"Then they are nothing like us, Kashy," Kage said leaning back in her chair.

"You are so incorrigible, Kage." Kashoku sighed and turned her attention back to Daniel. "Is there anything else you would like to know?"

"Yes!" O'Neill held up a hand. "You said magic. Like…what exactly does that mean? Abracadabra? Like, you changing clothes spontaneously in the middle of a desert?"

"Magic as in spells," Kashoku began hesitantly. She couldn't fathom a world without her magic. "And all I did was change dress spheres. When one changes spheres they change clothing. Black magic deals offensive spells such as casting fire, thunder, and other elements. White magic is defensive and can heal wounds."

"You can cure wounds with magic?" Daniel asked. He might have believed it if they were confused about the Goa'uld healing with perhaps a healing device, but something told him this wasn't the case.

Kage rolled her eyes and pulled out a knife. "How about we just show you?" She slit a deep cut into her flesh without even wincing.

Kashoku winced slightly and shook her head. "I prefer that not be the way we put on a demonstration…" She placed her hand over the profusely bleeding wound and it began to shine a bright blue. When the light dimmed the wound was completely healed.

The three lighter skinned members of the team gasped and even the large one showed a shocked expression. Carter leaned forward to get a better look and then up to Kashoku. "How did you do that?"

"White magic learned from the White Mage dress sphere. This is the kind of thing a dress sphere can do. Kage, despite the multiple wounds she gets, is too stubborn to learn the white arts. I do not currently have the White Mage sphere equipped but special rings allow us to use minimal abilities from dress spheres while in another." Kashoku pulled off the white glove to show a small and simple ring on her finger.

"Can anyone learn these abilities?" Daniel asked.

Kashoku nodded, "Yes. It can take a long time to master but it is well worth the rewards."

"How can we get one of these dress spheres?" Carter asked. She really wanted to her hands on a White Mage dress sphere for Janet. It would make the doctor's life so much easier if she could cure wounds like that…not to mention the lives it could save.

"You'll have to go on a hunt and find one," Kashoku said.

"Can you guys take us on one, then?" Daniel asked.

"No can do. You'd have to go on a sphere hunt for that and I'm sure as hell not taking you and the Gullwings have better things to do," Kage said.

"Then I shall take them," Kashoku said.

"And when, exactly, do you plan on taking them, Kashy?" Kage asked.

"I can do it now."

"Oh really? Because I think I remember you having a performance in say….ten minutes from now?"

Kashoku looked at her watch and her eyes widened, "Oh no! Matsu is going to kill me! It'll take us at least ten minutes just to get to Luca!"

"Don't panic quite yet, Kashy," Buddy said from over the intercom. "We got a distress call from Luca saying their singer was missing so I took the liberty to stop by."

"Thank you!" Kashoku called as she immediately sat up and headed towards a big blue sphere. "I'm sorry, bye!" She put a hand on the sphere and disappeared.

Daniel blinked, "Performance?"

"Remember when I said she wasn't a sphere hunter anymore? That's because she ditched me for a singing career." Kage's mean expression broke for a moment to a sudden flash of sadness, but it didn't last long. "She's always doing this. She's never around anymore."

"If you don't mind I'd kind of like to hear her," Daniel said cautiously.

"Daniel?" O'Neill asked.

"Jack, we've never encountered a race with pop culture or well…anything like this! Their planet is as close to modern day Earth as we've ever encountered. I think we should get to learn as much as we can about this planet," Daniel said.

"Daniel, if I didn't know better I'd think you think she's hot," O'Neill said with a serious face but a jesting tone. "I saw you staring in the desert."

Daniel's blue eyes widened and his mouth dropped. "W-what? No! No! And of course I was staring; she changed clothes out of no where!"

"You've completely ignored all of us and these other lovely ladies during the entire conversation. Your eyes have been on Kashoku the entire time. By the way, does she have a nickname? Kashoku is really hard for me to say in my old age."

"Kashy," Kage said not taking her eyes of Daniel.

"Daniel, are you blushing?" Carter asked with a slight smile.

"This is ridiculous!" Daniel said, turning his back to SG-1.

"You know, I was just kidding, but now I think he really does think she's cute," O'Neill said mildly amused.

Kage got out of her seat and shoved her face right into Daniel's. "Don't even _think_ about it. Don't come within ten feet of her or even think about touching her. Got it?"

"Kage, don't you think you are being a little too protective of her? You never even see her but once a year and here you are trying to control her life," Paine said.

"Do I make myself clear?" Kage asked, ignoring Paine's comment.

Daniel's brow furrowed, almost taking the words as a challenge. "Yeah."

"Good." Kage backed off and headed towards the elevator leaving the cabin.

"Geez. Who pissed in her Cheerio's?" O'Neill asked.

"She is quite hostile," Teal'c agreed.

"I think you have to realize that Kashoku is really Kage's only friend…She's just protective over that. The mere thought of Daniel, someone who just arrived here, wanting to get close to her-,"

"But I wasn't!" Daniel cut Yuna off.

"I didn't say you were," Yuna responded politely, "but Kage thought you might be and got defensive. Don't take Kage's words seriously. It is her actions that you have to worry about."

"I find it somewhat difficult to believe that Kashoku Yoshiko would ever be friends with someone such as Kage Yamino," Teal'c said.

"We all do," Rikku sighed.

"If you still want to catch her performance we should probably hurry. I'm sure there will be a big crowd," Yuna said.

"Alright," O'Neill sighed, "let's make Danny boy happy and go."

Daniel was overwhelmed while walking through the busy city of Luca. "Wow! This is incredible! The architecture is simply amazing and look at those big furry guys. What are they?"

"Ronso," Paine said. "I'd stay away if I were you."

"Daniel, do I need to put you on a leash?" O'Neill asked. He was not in the mood to have Daniel beat up by some furry lion that stood on two legs and have to drag him back home to the infirmary. It was best to keep the archaeologist reigned in.

"Here we are," Yuna said as they approached a large dome. "Like I thought…long line and no tickets left. Don't worry, I can get us in."

"How?" Carter asked. There were hundreds of people waiting outside the large dome and probably thousands inside it.

"Yunie defeated Sin! She gets whatever she wants!" Rikku said cheerfully.

Yuna laughed softly. "Makes me seem sort of selfish, doesn't it? Stay here for a moment." Yuna scurried up to one of the soldiers guarding the entrance and spoke to him several moments before returning. "We've got the okay. Let's go and see if we can find a seat somewhere."

The dome was dark and loud. Very loud. O'Neill covered his ears as they walked through the rows of cheering fans. He was way too old for this kind of excitement. Hordes of Jaffa he could handle. Hordes of screaming people he really didn't have the patience for. After giving up on finding seats and just standing the Colonel finally spoke. "She's quite popular isn't she?"

"Unfortunately!" Kage shouted over the noise. She already had a headache from having to deal with the Gullwings and the so called explorers and this was not making it any better.

"You really don't like the fact she's a singer, do you?" Daniel asked.

"As if that weren't _painfully_ obvious!" Kage retorted.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," a male speaker over an intercom began, "Welcome to Luca Stadium and the annual New Yevon Elixer Charity event! We appreciate all donations and know that all proceeds will go to rebuilding Spira and making it happier place for all its citizens. Without further ado, the reason you all came here: Yoshiko Kashoku!"

The crowd erupted into screaming again as laser lights began to light up the stage and music began to play. Lights centered at the stage as Kashoku's form appeared in a bright light on the stage. "Ikuze, Luca!" The crowd roared in response. "Saa ryoute o hirogete, issho ni to o tataite arukou. Hashiridasu toki ni wa koko e kite tomo ni hajimeruyou! Okay!" As soon as the instrumental began again Kashoku's outfit changed into another pink makeup.

"She sings in Japanese?" O'Neill asked.

"You mean New Spiran? Of course, it's her first language," Kage shouted.

"Does everyone here speak it?"

"Not exactly! I'll explain later when I can hear you!"

O'Neill gave the archaeologist a strange look at his fixed gaze upon the singer on the stage below. Even a nudge didn't break the trance.

At the sounds of Kashoku's "Domo Arigatou!" and her exit, SG-1 quickly filed out of the crowded dome and waited by the benches until Kashoku came running out to them dressed back in the previous outfit she had been wearing; short skirt and revealing halter top. "I'm really sorry I left you guys up on the ship like that! I had no idea that we had spent a complete day searching for the Eternal – Stargate – and talking to you on _Celsius_. Matsu would have been really angry if I had missed this. Everyone would have been angry…"

"The world wouldn't have stopped revolving if you hadn't shown up, Kashy," Kage said.

"Why can't you just be supportive?" Kashoku asked.

"If you want my support, Kashy, then take up sphere hunting again!"

"Is this what this was all about? To get me to join Sereclipse again?" Kashoku really felt the anger build up inside of her. "Kage, you know that I'm devoted to my singing. I like making people happy with it. I never could give that to people with sphere hunting because you never wanted to help people. You used it for your own selfish needs!"

"Incase you have failed to notice, Kashy, that is what sphere hunting is all about! It isn't about getting there first but who can steal it from the other! It's about being dirty and not playing fair! It's not about helping people! Come on! Even Yuna has stolen a sphere from someone else!"

"To _help_ people!" Yuna said in her defense.

"It doesn't matter!" Kage hissed. She grabbed Rikku's arm and pulled a knife on the Al Bhed's throat. "Take me back to my ship or I'll shut her up for good."

"Hey, let me go! Yunie! Let's just take her back!" Rikku pleaded.

Yuna sighed. "Kage, we would have taken you back if you had just asked. Please let Rikku go." Yuna looked to Kashoku with apologetic eyes. "You coming?"

"No. Go ahead and take Kage back so she can settle down. I'll stay here with them," Kashoku motioned to SG-1.

Kage turned on her heel and began walking off with not so much as a good bye. The Gullwings ambled behind in no rush to meet up with the frustrated woman.

"I'm really sorry about all of this…Kage usually is mean to people but never this bad. I don't know what has gotten into her," Kashoku said softly. She had been looking forward to spending time with Kage again but now she was second guessing herself on that.

"Well, if it makes you feel better I really enjoyed listening to you sing," Daniel said with lowered eyes. "I especially liked the ballad…do you write your own lyrics?"

Kashoku gave a soft smile and nodded. "Yes. I sometimes compose my own music, too. And it does make me feel better to know that at least someone enjoyed the show. Kage's never been real supportive of me." Kashoku sighed and walked slowly over to a railing that overlooked the ocean. Brown eyes stared across towards the port and let the salty wind blow her hair. "She's trying to make me feel guilty. Maybe I should be."

Daniel was the only one that joined her by the rail with the rest listening from afar. "Why should you feel guilty? Singing is obviously your passion. Shouldn't you do what you want to do?"

"Maybe…but what if what you want to do isn't the best thing for everyone else? After school the two of us parted ways for a long while. During that time Kage got involved with the wrong sorts of people…I'm afraid that without me she'll go back to them or worse; they'll come to her." Kashoku sighed. "I'm sorry that you've seen this side of her. Once you get past the initial…barrier…she's a great friend to have."

"Maybe she just has the same fears as you do. It seems to me that she cares a lot about you and just doesn't want to lose you. You remind me somewhat of Jack and I when we first met…we hated each other. We constantly butted heads and argued but we are really good friends now. I'm sure things will work out once she cools down."

Kashoku gave Daniel a large smile. "Kage was wrong about you all. I can tell that you are all good people. You especially have good intentions. Thank you."

Daniel returned the smile. "If you don't mind me asking, how long had you and Kage been together sphere hunting?"

Kashoku shifted her position, turning her back to the rail. "Hmm…a long time. I guess about thirty years."

"Thirty? How old are you?" Carter asked.

"Eighty-one," Kashoku said as if it was no big deal, but the reactions she got said other wise. "Is that uncommon among your people?"

"Eighty-one? No. Looking like you and being eighty-one, yes!" O'Neill said.

"I suppose then your people are not immortal."

"I do believe you are one of the few races we have encountered that is," Teal'c said.

"We aren't born immortal," Kashoku explained. "Our scientists were able to construct an immortality potion by experimenting with Sin and the Fayth's makeup. We began using it a few years after Sin's defeat. So many people had died that it was kind of a way to preserve ourselves…"

"Any chance we might be able to get a hold of the potion?" O'Neill asked.

"That might be tricky," Kashoku pondered.

"Quick question, actually," O'Neill said. "You sung in Japanese – New Spiran Kage called it – but you speak to us in English…"

"Oh, we are conversing in Old Spiran. Everyone speaks Old Spiran, and the majority speak both. Despite the name, Old Spiran is still very much alive. It refers more to our ancestors. Those that first were here on Spira spoke the language we do now. After Sin was born there was a new era in which a new group of ancestors emerged who spoke New Spiran."

"The newer ancestors, those that spoke New Spiran, did they look more like you instead of say, Paine," Daniel asked curiously.

Kashoku nodded, "Yes. I am of New Spiran ancestry and Paine of Old. Nothing other than the language is really known of our ancestors…It's as if it is all one big mystery. Most of this planet seems to be as such. Anyway, I feel the need to do something for you after the way Kage has been acting. If you still have an interest in finding a dress sphere I can go on a hunt with you."

"Didn't Kage kind of take our ride?" O'Neill asked with distaste at the memory of the woman.

"I'm a celebrity," Kashoku grinned. "I think I have my own airship. Come on, it is waiting in the docking bay. We can get to it using a transport sphere." Kashoku motioned for SG-1 to follow her through the busy crowd of Luca. As soon as they reached it she pulled out what looked like a communicator. After pressing several buttons she smiled. "There, _Wing_ is position to pick us up. Just do like you did with the _Celsius_ and put your hand on the sphere." Kashoku winked and wasted no time before transporting up to her ship.

"Well, you heard the girl," O'Neill shrugged and put his hand on the sphere before transporting up.

"It's no _Celsius_," Kashoku said as the rest of SG-1 made their way up, "but it'll defiantly serve our purpose."

"I thought you said it was in a docking port," Daniel asked as he looked over the interior of the ship and noted how it was different from the _Celsius_.

"It is. The docking port is in the air," Kashoku smiled. She took a seat in front of the control panels and a map appeared. "Let's see…Ah. I'm getting sphere readings from the sacred ruins on Mt. Gagazet."

"Sacred? As in forbidden? Doesn't that usually mean we shouldn't go there? Like, no trespassing?" O'Neill asked.

"Well," Kashoku began turning in her chair, "Kage was correct in her assessments of sphere hunters. Trespassing on sacred ground is just part of the game. If it comforts you to know, I am on friendly terms with Kimhari, the Ronso elder in charge of the mountain. He has let us on the sacred grounds before." She paused for a moment as she concentrated on the control panel. "I've set a course for the mountain. Prepare yourselves for battle. One never finds a sphere without a fiend accompanying it."

"Has it not been some time since you have last fought, Kashoku Yoshiko? Will you be prepared?" Teal'c asked.

"There might be a long drought but that doesn't mean it can never rain again," Kashoku stated.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow. "I do not believe I see the relation."

"She means that even though she hasn't fought in a long time it doesn't mean she can't do it ever again," Daniel translated.

Teal'c inclined his head in understanding. "I see."

There was a long silence once Kashoku stopped talking. Daniel took great notice of her discontent. "What makes you different?"

Kashoku lifted her head and frowned, "I'm sorry?"

"What makes you different from everyone else Kage hates? It seems she has a lot of...well hatred inside of her. Why doesn't she hate you like she does us or the Gullwings for that matter?"

"It's a long story."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude…"

Again there was silence.

"There wasn't a difference at first…" Daniel's head lifted up when Kashoku began talking. "She hated me. No…hated isn't a strong enough word. She _loathed_ me. But then our parents were killed in the same attack by Sin and something happened…I don't know if it was just that we now had something in common or if we just needed someone to take comfort in that really knew how we were feeling, but that was when we just clicked."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know your parents were dead," Daniel said apologetically.

Kashoku smiled softly. She knew that he really meant what he was saying. A beeping sound went off and she was brought to attention. "We're at the top of the mountain. Come on, let's go get you guys that sphere. Hopefully it'll be a dress sphere."

"Are not all spheres dress spheres?" Carter asked.

"Unfortunately, no. Dress spheres are actually very rare." Kashoku noticed their disappointment and tried to cheer them up. "Don't worry, though. I'll keep going on hunts with you until we find you one."

"We really appreciate all that you are doing for us, Kashoku," Daniel said.

"Yeah, we aren't used to this kind of generosity, believe it or not. Most people blow us off when we ask for technology," O'Neill snorted recalling memories of the Tollan and the Nox…oh and he couldn't forget his _favorite_ race of people; the Tok'ra.

"You really shouldn't be thanking me until after I get you that sphere. Come on. We need to hurry before it gets dark. It'll be much tougher then."

Kashoku led them across the rocky ledges of the mountain to where waterfalls could be seen gliding across the slick surfaces of the rocks. "My bet is that the sphere is probably in the temple up ahead so we'll check there." It took some rock climbing to get to the small and dark temple but everyone managed to get there. "Alright, let's see…Just look for a big orange glowing thing or any trapped doors that might lead us to it."

"You mean something like that?" O'Neill pointed.

Kashoku turned to see a platform jut out from the wall and a brightly glowing sphere placed on top. With a heavy frown she approached it and looked at it carefully. "That's odd. I don't ever remember this being here."

"Isn't the point of the spheres to be hidden, Kashoku Yoshiko?" Teal'c asked.

"I suppose, yes…but we haven't been attacked by anything yet. In all my years of sphere hunting this is a first." Kashoku didn't like this one bit. She had a very bad feeling in the pit of her stomach and her feelings were usually right. It wasn't that there was no fiends, but that the sphere was out in the open for even inexperienced hunters to find.

"Don't jinx a good thing! Grab it and let's go," O'Neill said hurriedly trying to quickly usher them out.

"May I see the sphere for one moment?" Teal'c asked. Kashoku removed the sphere from the platform and handed it to him. He looked it over carefully before speaking. "Daniel Jackson. Do you recall the communication device Apophis used to communicate with his Jaffa on the Ha'tak vessel?"

"The round sphere?" Daniel asked.

"Yes. Do you not agree that this sphere holds a strong resemblance?" Teal'c held out the orange sphere for the archaeologist to see.

"Yeah, it does," Daniel said while shifting his glasses to get a good look.

"What does that mean?" Kashoku asked.

"The Goa'uld steal technology from other planets to make their own. The fact that their communication devices resemble yours is evidence that they have been to your planet in the past," Teal'c said.

"There are no records of them in any spheres we've found," Kashoku stated.

"It is possible that none of your people even realized that one was here," Teal'c said.

"Alright enough chit-chat, will ya? Let's just head back to the ship before a fiend shows up." The colonel was very impatient, especially when such matters could be discussed back on the ship where it was safe from anything wanting to kick his ass.

"Very well, we will go." Kashoku took the sphere and placed it in a hidden pouch within her belt. The bad feeling was still strong within her, but maybe the fiend had already been defeated by a previous hunter. Though, that wouldn't explain why the sphere was still there. She shrugged the matter off and began following the explorers outside the temple. Before they could make it out Kashoku found herself bumping into Daniel as the group suddenly halted. The large man had stopped with his hand raced as a signal.

"Teal'c, what is it?" Carter asked.

"Death gliders."

"_What_ gliders?" Kashoku asked.

"Do you mean as in like _Goa'uld_ death gliders?" O'Neill asked.

"What other death gliders would I be referring to, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked somewhat confused.

"Never mind! Why the hell did they show up all of a sudden? I thought you had said they'd never been here before!" O'Neill snapped at Kashoku.

"You are the first ones to ever visit our planet according to any sphere or records we have!" Kashoku said in defense. "Trust me, I've seen and read everything!"

"Why now?" Carter asked readying her P-90.

"The sphere…" Daniel trailed off. "It must have been a communication device that let Apophis know we had come. How the hell did he get here so fast? He must have been nearby already. Or maybe it was us coming through the Stargate?"

"Crap. Alright let's hurry back to the ship before we meet any-,"

O'Neill was interrupted by several rings piling up on each other on the center floor of the temple. As they lifted back up several men had taken place. As soon as they laid eyes on SG-1 and Kashoku they pointed their weapons at them. "Jaffa, Kree!"

"Alright kids, time to go!" O'Neill began firing at the Jaffa with Teal'c and Carter following suit as they began backtracking out of the temple.

"Come on!" Daniel grabbed hold of Kashoku and began running out of the temple with Kashoku behind him only to find themselves face to face with more Jaffa. "Oh this isn't good."

"Why do they look like Teal'c?" Kashoku hissed. "Is he one of them? Did he lead those men here? Are you all lying?" Daniel said nothing but only pulled her out of the way of fire. "Daniel!"

"We aren't lying!" Daniel said quickly. "I'll explain later!"

"I want an explanation now!" Kashoku said, yanking her arm away from the man and giving him a harsh glare. She'd be damned if Kage had been right about all of her suspicions.

"DANIEL!"

Daniel turned his head and saw the blast coming towards them. "Watch out!" Wrapping his arms around Kashoku he pulled her out of the way of fire, but he knew he hadn't been as lucky to escape it. The painful burning of his flesh told him so. As his back hit the ground he let out a scream from the pain of the wound.

Kashoku gasped as she saw the severe burn and the smell of smoke. Pushing herself slightly away from the body she saw another blast coming. Reacting quickly she made a circling motion with her arm that created a blue shield around her. The blast never made it past that. Kashoku looked towards SG-1 and flung her arm out. A shield formed in front of each of them protecting them from the incoming blasts. "Hurry and kill these men so we can get Daniel back to the ship for healing!" Pulling out her own guns she began firing away at the Jaffa alongside the travelers until there were finally no more in sight.

Teal'c and O'Neill immediately made their ways towards Daniel and helped him to his feet. "Think you can make it?" The colonel asked.

"I'll try," Daniel hissed through the pain.

"The wound is too great for me to heal here! We have to hurry him back to _Wing_!" Kashoku said as she immediately took off.

With Teal'c and O'Neill helping Daniel they made it to the transport sphere quickly and back up to _Wing_. Daniel was laid gently down on the floor while Kashoku made her way to a platform on the dashboard of the ship holding several spheres. She fumbled through them for a moment before picking one out and causing her outfit to change into a white, revealing, robe with elaborate designs. Making her way next to Daniel's side she quickly began fumbling with removing his vest and jacket and lifting his shirt enough for her to see the wound. She flinched in unison with Daniel as she touched the wound to assess the damage. Closing her eyes she let her magic flow through her and into the wound. The light that surrounded her and Daniel was brighter than the one that had been used on Kage and much larger. It lasted several moments before it stopped to reveal Daniel's wound was completely healed. Kashoku let out a deep sigh of relief before slumping forward into Daniel's quick arms.

"Are you okay?" Daniel asked worriedly as he sat up with Kashoku in his arms.

"I'm sorry," Kashoku said slowly as she regained her composure. "Magic drains your energy, especially a strong spell such as that one." She turned her head in embarrassment as her cheeks began to flush. "I'm very sorry! I didn't mean to get you hurt I was just confused and upset! I'm _still_ confused!"

"Teal'c _is_ a Jaffa; those people we saw earlier," Daniel said.

"But like your people I have abandoned my faith. I believe the Goa'uld to be false gods and no longer serve them," Teal'c explained.

Kashoku turned her attention back to Daniel as his hot flesh met with the bare area on her arms. His eyes were understanding and held no anger in them from what she could see. "Again I will apologize. I didn't know…I will try and take more care in my actions during the future."

"Mistakes happen, kid. Thankfully you were able to correct it," O'Neill said. "Not to mention you had some kick ass powers out there."

"I do believe that you would be the kid in this relationship, O'Neill," Teal'c pointed out.

"It's a metaphor, Teal'c…" O'Neill sighed and moved on. "Those blue things…what were they?"

"A protection spell. It's a high level spell that only masters can use. Depending on the strength of the caster it will protect from outside attack for a certain amount of time," Kashoku explained. "I should have cast them as soon as the attack begun…"

"Look, there are bound to be more death gliders on their way. We should probably warn your people so they can defend themselves," O'Neill said.

Kashoku nodded and pushed her way from Daniel, blushing, as she stood. Her clothing disappeared to reform her Gunner outfit as she took seat at the control consol and began vigorously typing away at the buttons. Several minutes later she turned, "Sightings of the gliders have already been made and sphere hunting groups with battle class ships have been dispatched to deal with them. However, there is another problem…they've detected a ship in our orbit."

"Apophis's Ha'tak vessel," Teal'c said. "It will no doubt attack once word of resistance reaches it."

"It is a good thing then that our machina cannon at Mushroom Rock can destroy it then, isn't it?" Kashoku smiled.

"You have a gun that can destroy ships from space?" The Air Force colonel liked the sounds of this planet more and more by the minute. "And would you perhaps be willing to share this lovely little device with us?"

"That's more Kage's area of expertise than mine…" Kashoku frowned apologetically. Her eyes caught the glimmer of flashing Japanese characters on her screen and grinned. "You see? The ship has been destroyed."

"Whoa! Sweet! You think Apophis was on that ship when it blew up?" O'Neill asked.

"I do not believe we possess such luck, O'Neill," Teal'c said. "Apophis himself most likely did not come, but instead sent a ship in his fleet."

"Eh, probably right…"

"I'm worried about Kage, though…If you don't mind I would like to go check on her," Kashoku asked.

"Do you even know where she is?" Daniel asked.

"I've located her ship so I'm guessing that is where she is. It is most likely we will encounter some of those ships on the way so I'll activate _Wing's_ automatic lock on system to take care of them for us."

"You mean it hunts down the bad guys and shoots them down for you?" O'Neill wasn't quite sure how that worked, but if it did it, who was he to complain?

"Yes. You program the image of the target object and the ship will automatically destroy any that it sees. I really can't tell you much past that. You'll have to bring the matter up with Kage…" That was, of course, if she was even willing to talk about the matter. Kashoku sighed. She really hoped that her friend was in a better mood but something told her that the woman's short temper would only be flaring more now that they had been attacked. When Kashoku was right she was right.

As SG-1 and Kashoku transported themselves down on land they were greeted with a destroyed ship and a flaming Kage. Thunder rolled loudly and lightning struck swift on the dark plains they were in. O'Neill wondered if the weather was supposed to be like this or if it was just reflecting the sphere hunter's mood before them.

"Those fucking bastards destroyed _Lunestis_!" Kage hissed as she shot several bullets into a dead Jaffa for good measure. "I told you this would turn out bad! I fucking told you!" She pointed her gun at Teal'c's head and fired.

"KAGE!" Kashoku flared. The bullet had failed to pierce the woman's quickly cast protect spell. "It isn't want you think! I thought so too at first but you have to listen to them!"

"I tried it your way Kashy and it got my ship destroyed! Now we do things _my_ way!" Kage however was not able to get another shot off as Kashoku stepped right in the way of her gun and her face. "Move!"

"No! They are good people! Teal'c helped us fight off several of his own kind when they attacked us. He abandoned his faith to his gods like we did to ours! Daniel even risked his life to save mine!"

Kage's gun pointed towards Daniel over her friend's short body. "What did I tell you about getting near her?! I swear to god if you touched her I will cut off every single one of your fingers one by one!"

"What?! Are you placing restraining orders on people against me now?" Kashoku groaned in frustration. "Kage, please, just stop for one moment! None of them have attacked you like you have them! I think that is enough evidence they aren't going to hurt you because I know I would have already with the way you are acting if I were them!"

"Maybe you should, then! You never could stand up for yourself!" Kage hissed. She was always standing up for her friend because the singer could never grow a backbone and do so herself. Kage was her personal bodyguard and she wouldn't have any more of it.

"I don't have time for this!" Kashoku clenched her fists and turned her back to her friend. Several more gliders passed over but were slowing near by. She gasped as she noticed the gliders lowering by a near by forest. "Oh no! They are entering Macalania!" She took off at a sprint towards the forest entrance leaving the rest in the dust.

Kage growled. "Her and that god damn forest! I should let those things burn it to the ground." But despite her words she drew sword and began running after her friend. As much as she hated the sparkling beauty she knew it wouldn't be in her favor if she let it get destroyed.

"We should probably follow, sir," Carter said.

O'Neill sighed and nodded. "Let's go take care of them, then." He patted his P90, life long friend in battle, and puffed out his cheeks as he blew out air. "I'm really sick of Jaffa. We need something new to fight…"

Kashoku reached the group of Jaffa just outside the entrance to the blue and green forest. Without hesitation she drew her guns and began firing while casting a protection spell at the same time to ward off the blasts from their weapons. Even when she had taken care of that group, however, she was knocked on her back by the leader of another group.

Lightning struck the Jaffa that was about to come bearing down on Kashoku. His body fell to the ground to reveal Kage standing behind him. "You are stupid, you know that?"

"So are you!" Kashoku struck back. She couldn't keep count of the times Kage had rushed into things without a rational thought and things have turned out badly.

"No, I'm insane. Stupid and insane are two very different things." Kage lifted a hand and summoned more of the electric magic to her aid to finish off the remaining Jaffa in their presence. "There. Your precious forest is saved. Happy?"

"Yes…" Kashoku sighed as SG-1 finally caught up with them. Taking several looks around for remaining Jaffa she found herself satisfied. "I think we got-ah!" The woman was caught off guard, protection spell down, and was shot in the back.

"Kashy!" Kage cried out. The lightning was replaced by burning flames in her hands and was hurled at the Jaffa that had shot her friend, burning him to a crisp as if it he were simply a lump of coal. After the threat had been eliminated she wasted no time getting to her friend's side. "Shit, shit, shit! Kashy, wake up! Come on! You have to cure yourself!"

Daniel and Carter rushed to her side immediately while Teal'c and O'Neill took point. Carter looked at the wound with a worried face. "Can you heal this?"

"No! Weren't you paying attention when she said I didn't know any white magic?!" Kage's voice was less angry and more in a panic. Never before had she had to worry about not having access to curing magic. Kashoku had never been knocked out in a situation where she was badly injured and needed healing like this. "We have to find Yuna, or another healer, now!"

"Do you even know where one is?" O'Neill asked.

"Kage we can help her but you need to get us back to the Stargate," Daniel said calmly, but the panic was drawn out all across his face.

Kage hesitated. O'Neill was right. In all the chaos it could be hours before they could locate Yuna or a healer. "Did she bring you on _Wing_?"

"Yes."

Kage nodded swiftly, "Yeah, I can get you there. I know the ship."

"Alright, then let's go." Daniel carefully scooped Kashoku into his arms as to not touch her wounds and followed Kage to the transport sphere with the rest of the team on hot pursuit while battling the Jaffa behind them.

As soon as everyone was aboard _Wing_, Kage took control and flew the airship to Bikanel as quickly as humanly possible. No one wasted anytime getting out and heading straight into the cave through the sand and the now cold desert as it grew dark. Carter took point through the cave with her light shining brightly as they moved deeper inside. As soon as the Stargate was in sight she moved towards a panel in front of it and began punching buttons that lit up in conjunction with the locks on the gate.

The blue water whooshed and settled in place while Carter punched buttons on a device on her wrist. "Alright, sir, we are good to go." The blonde soldier headed on through first followed by Colonel O'Neill, Teal'c, and then Daniel.

Kage stepped up to the blue water and looked at it hesitantly. She had no clue what the hell she was about to step through or what would greet her on the other end. Maybe this was just another trap. Those explorers had probably set this whole thing up just to get the two on their home planet where they would be held hostage. "Shit. I'll worry about that later. Kashoku first!" Closing her eyes she jumped through the puddle and landed on a loud ramp. Slowly opening her eyes she found herself at gun point of several soldiers. "I knew you were all lying!"

"Would you shut up?!" O'Neill waved his hands at Kage in frustration. "We are trying to help Kashoku here! Stand down!" He motioned for the soldiers to lower their weapons.

The doors opened on the left and a large bald man walked through angrily. "Colonel, what the hell is going on here?"

Daniel shoved his way to the bottom of the ramp with Kashoku still cradled in his arms. "We need a medical team down here, _now_! Her pulse is fading!"

Kage's eyes widened. "No….Kashoku."


	2. Chapter 2

Kage watched as her friend was taken away on a stretcher with a short woman in white yelling at the doctors around her as they hurried down the hall and out of her sight. That was when Kage snapped to her senses and the bitch came out again. "Where is she?! What are you going to do to her!?"

"They are taking her to the infirmary to try and help her!" O'Neill said with his hands up to block Kage from punching him in the face as she charged at him. "Don't make me put you in a holding cell!" he said as he slapped away at her hands.

"_Colonel_!" The bald man was not happy and demanded the attention of the eldest member of the team.

"Sorry, sir," the colonel apologized. "We ran into some problems as usual."

"Do you mind telling me what the hell is going on here?" The bald man turned his attention towards Kage when asking the question.

"Where the hell is my friend?!" Kage asked as she broke free from O'Neill and summoned her sword.

"Hey, hey, hey!" O'Neill quickly grabbed hold of Kage's wrist and fought for control of the sword. "There will be no gun pointing or sword fighting here!"

"_Do _I need to put her in a holding cell, Colonel?" The man asked.

O'Neill looked up and down Kage several times pondering the thought before looking at his commanding officer again. "Yes."

"WHAT?! Who the hell are you to lock me up?" Kage hissed.

"General George Hammond, commander of this base! I will not have visitors attacking my men!" The general said angrily.

Kage punched out at the airmen trying to take custody of her but they outnumbered her five-to-one. Time for a little black magic. She wasn't fast enough.

O'Neill remembered distinctly Kashoku referring to rings they wore that allowed them to use all of their dress sphere abilities no matter which they were wearing. That would pose a problem. The colonel swiftly moved towards Kage's neck and slipped the chain over her head that held her own ring. "Thinking of burning them like you did the Jaffa? Not on my watch."

Kage hissed as she was dragged down the ramp. "Don't even think for a moment you'll get away with this!"

"Oh, but I already have," O'Neill grinned as he twirled the necklace around his finger in satisfaction.

"In my office, now. _All _of you, Dr. Jackson," Hammond added as Daniel tried to escape the room and follow after Kashoku.

Daniel opened his mouth to protest but quickly decided against it and dropped his arms down in defeat. "Yes, sir."

General George Hammond of Texas was not a happy camper. His flagship team had come back from their mission early and with two strangers; one who was injured and the other who was most likely going to be doing some injuring to others. Folding his hands he let out a heavy sigh and focused directly on Colonel O'Neill. "What exactly happened?"

"Well, sir," the colonel began, "the planet is very nice with some very awesome technology we should probably get a hold of. The Goa'uld showed up because we came through and shone like a homing becon, but apparently these people had no problem with that and blew one of Apophis's ship right out of the sky. Oh and uh, Kage hates our guts."

"Sir, these people have amazing technology. We really should get to know them better," Carter added.

"And did they all react to you quite like that one woman did?" Hammond asked.

"No, no, not at all, actually. She was the only one we met that showed hostility. Kashoku, the woman in the infirmary, was actually really nice and even brought back some of their technology for us," Daniel said.

"What kind of technology are we talking about?" Hammond asked, his interest now caught.

"Well, sir, their airships are capable of an automatic locking system that tracks down any of a commanded target that they encounter. We didn't see it, but they have some gun that uses a special power that blew one of Apophis's mother ships right out of their orbit. But," Carter paused, "I think those are the technology we should pursue last…"

"Oh?" Hammond asked. "Major, what you've just said sounds very promising. What else could they have to offer that is better?"

"Oh! I know this!" O'Neill grinned. "Magic! And no, sir, that is not a joke!"

"Colonel O'Neill is telling the truth," Teal'c said. "Daniel Jackson was injured by a staff blast when the Jaffa attacked. Kashoku Yoshiko completely cured the wound within moments with her white magic."

"You saw this?" Hammond asked. He was completely shocked with what they were saying as often as they stressed that nothing was magic but rather technology. However, the fact that Teal'c was saying this….

"Indeed."

"They acquire the ability to perform these skills through dress spheres. In order to find one of these spheres you have to look for one since they are rare. Kashoku found us a sphere but we don't know if it is a dress sphere or a historical sphere… She was attacked before we could ever find out," Daniel said. "Either way I think Kashoku will really be able to help us out with all of this."

"Can we trust her?" the general asked. They had trusted people in the past to help them out that had never come through. From he had seen with his own eyes things weren't looking good with this group either.

"Yes, absolutely," Daniel said quickly with no hesitance.

O'Neill looked to Daniel and blinked, "Daniel?"

"Jack?"

"…so quick to have her back are we? You know you really are just feeding the fire here," O'Neill mentioned.

Daniel ignored him. "Sir, I know that we can trust her. Maybe not Kage – definitely not Kage – but we can Kashoku."

Hammond sighed and stood. "Alright, Doctor. I trust your decision. Head to the infirmary and see how she's doing. Hopefully we'll be able to talk to her soon and arrange some sort of treaty."

"Thank you, sir." Daniel quickly exited the briefing room and headed down the hall towards the infirmary.

"My, with such haste we leave!" O'Neill shouted as he jogged to catch up.

Daniel turned briefly but only to acknowledge to him. "I just want to make sure she's going to be okay. It is our fault that she got shot."

"As much as I heavily dislike our dear doctor and the way she shoves the needles up my ass, she _is _a damn good doctor. I'm sure Kash is fine."

"Yeah, well, I'd prefer to see that with my own eyes if you don't mind." Daniel rounded a corner and caught the elevator door just in time to board it.

O'Neill squeezed his way in despite Daniel's efforts to keep him out and grinned playfully. "You like her."

"Of course I like her. She seems like a really nice person," Daniel said avoiding the true meaning of his friend's statement.

"But you _like_ her."

"Don't you?"

"Nah, she's too young…for me…You know what I mean."

Daniel sighed heavily at what the man was insinuating."I've only known her a day."

"What's wrong, Danny boy? Don't believe in love at first sight?'

"Not particularly," Daniel said as the elevator signaled he had reached his desired floor. As soon as the doors opened he was off again at a fast pace.

"Yeah, I was never really one for all that either," O'Neill shrugged as he continued in hot pursuit. The colonel loved to pick on the archaeologist and the fact that he had such a juicy reason to pick on him with just made the situation that much more satisfying; especially when Daniel denied everything.

As soon as the two men entered the infirmary they were greeted by a short woman with auburn hair pulled up into a high bun. "Oh, good. I was just about to call the General to send you all down here."

"How is she?" Daniel asked as he caught a brief glimpse of Kashoku in a medical bed, but it was quickly blocked by one of the nurses.

"She's stable for the moment," Dr. Janet Fraiser said as she placed her clipboard down on a tabletop and folded her arms. "I'm pretty sure she'll make it through alright."

"If you wake her up then she can just take care of the blast for you," O'Neill mentioned.

The doctor raised an eyebrow. "Colonel, if I could make people wake up then no one would be in a coma. And how exactly do you suppose she could heal herself?"

"Magic," O'Neill said hesitantly. It sounded cool but he was beginning to realize how dumb he sounded saying it.

Fraiser shook her head and gave a small smile. "Please, Colonel. I know we've experienced a lot of weird things around here but magic has never been one of them."

"First time for everything," O'Neill pointed out. If you really thought about it, the thought of magic really wasn't all that surprising considering all they had encountered and dealt with the past four years since the Stargate Program reopened.

"I promise to call you when she wakes up." The doctor gave a small smile before turning her back to them and turning her attention to other patients in need of her care.

"We should probably go check on Kage if she hasn't blown anything up already," O'Neill mentioned.

"I thought you took away her magic ring?" Daniel asked slightly confused.

"You don't need magic to throw things and lose a temper, Daniel," O'Neill pointed out. They headed back to the elevator to make their way towards the holding cells. He had a pretty good feeling that the woman was not going to be happy seeing them again. Sure enough, as they approached the cell, you could hear the sounds of Kage's threats and the chair and desk slamming against the wall. "At ease, Sergeant. Open the door."

"Sir, are you sure?" The dark-skinned Sergeant asked hesitantly. "She's been acting crazy in there."

O'Neill blew out some air for a moment while thinking before grabbing the airman's gun. "There. Then if she tries something I'll just shoot and have Kashoku fix her up later."

"Jack, you can't just _shoot_ her!" Daniel quickly protested.

"It won't be fatal!"

Daniel rubbed his temple with both hands. "Jack, why don't we just go in there and talk to her?"

"Fine, but I'm still taking this with me," O'Neill waved his gun plainly for Daniel to see. "Open the door."

The black airmen shook his head in severe disagreement but did as the superior officer told him to do. Taking the key from his belt he entered it into the lock and opened the door for O'Neill and Daniel to enter. Immediately they were met with the woman's sword, but O'Neill was well prepared and already had his gun pointed towards her head.

"I'd put that down if I were you," he warned. "Bullets travel faster."

"We just want to talk," Daniel said, frustrated with his friend's way of dealing with the manner. "Please."

"Talk my ass! Are you here to fucking torture me?" Kage sneered. She could take them even without her magic. The fiends she had fought for spheres could put up a better fight than them.

"Not unless you give me a reason to," O'Neill said. The Spiran was really starting to get on his nerves. "I'll put down my gun if you put down your sword, deal?" Slowly he began lowering his gun.

Kage didn't move. "Where is Kashoku?"

"She's safe in our infirmary. She'll be okay," Daniel assured her.

"Let me talk to her before I believe that," Kage retorted.

"She's still unconscious."

"Then I guess I don't believe you." She moved to point her sword closer to O'Neill's throat but he quickly moved out of the way and had his gun up again.

"Kid, we don't want to hurt you! Just calm down!" O'Neill was really getting tired of playing games with her. He was way too old for this. "If you play nicely we'll let you out of here and prove that we don't want to torture and or keep you and Kash prisoner."

Kage banished her sword and walked away towards the destroyed bed. "As soon as she is better we are leaving."

"And you will be allowed to, but Kashoku can make her own decision on that matter," Daniel said.

"And why the hell would she want to stay here?" Kage snapped as she spun around.

"Because she, unlike you, seems to be interested in learning as much about us as we'd like to know about you."

"I don't _care_ what the hell she wants. She's naïve in trusting the lot of you! Kashoku is coming back with me and that is final!"

"You can't make that decision for her."

"Like hell I can't," Kage growled. She walked up to Daniel; face to face. "You especially are getting on my nerves. I swear if I ever see you around her again I'll make sure you never see her again or anything else for the rest of your life."

O'Neill groaned. "Let it go, Daniel. Just…let it go." He gently grabbed Daniel's arm and turned him towards the door to emphasize his words before leaving the room and giving the airmen back his gun. As soon as Daniel was out he motioned for the door to be closed and locked once more. "Why does someone always hate us?"

"At least she doesn't threaten you every time you get within ten feet," Daniel argued.

"It's that whole…possessive thing. Don't think too much about it. Everyone always threatens you." O'Neill gave him a pat on the shoulder before walking off.

"Oh, yeah, because that's so comforting," Daniel mumbled as he headed towards his own office.

"She's awake?" Daniel asked as he rushed into the infirmary.

"Awake and fully healed, thanks to you, Daniel! I heard you were the one that came to my rescue. Arigatou gozaimasu!" Kashoku smiled. She was sitting up on the bed as if she had never been hurt in the first place.

"Oh, now we are a knight in shining armor," O'Neill wiggled his eyebrows in amusement. Daniel blushed heavily in embarrassment.

"Without my dress sphere with me I wouldn't have been able to cure the wound on my own completely, but thanks to the great work of your doctor here I was able to cure it," Kashoku said.

"And now everyone is witness that there is indeed magic!" O'Neill grinned happily. Now he wouldn't look like a complete fool saying it.

"I must say, Ms. Yoshiko, that I am very impressed. I have never seen anything like this in all my years here," Hammond said in awe.

"Well, give me my sphere back so I can change and I'll be happy to show you more," the woman said.

Fraiser walked over to a desk and pulled out two spheres. "There were two on you. I don't know which one is the right one to give you…"

"Oh! That's right! I haven't checked to see if the sphere we recovered at Mt. Gagazet is a dress sphere or not. Could you hand them both over?" As soon as she had the two in her hands she knew which sphere was hers and which was not. Placing her Gunner sphere down she looked into the glow of the other sphere. A white feather began to form in her vision of the sphere. Looking up at everyone around her she grinned. "You are in luck! White Mage." Tossing the sphere to O'Neill, who barely caught it, she picked up her other sphere. The white top and pants that the doctors had dressed her in disappeared in a rush of white feathers and were replaced by her Gunner uniform.

"Major, I can see why you stressed the issue of a treaty with these people," Hammond said with a slight shake of his head. "Ms. Yoshiko, if you don't mind, I'd like to have a meeting with you and SG-1 to discuss the matters of an alliance between our two worlds."

"Of course," Kashoku said. That was when she noticed Kage was not present. "Where is Kage?"

"She uh…she got a little violent and needed to put in a holding cell to make sure she didn't harm anyone," Daniel said.

Kashoku laughed slightly. "That actually doesn't surprise me. If you take me to see her perhaps I can calm her down a bit."

"Alright," O'Neill sighed, "this way." Time to deal with Satan again.

Upon the opening of the door the two were attacked, but Kage quickly withdrew her sword upon seeing Kashoku and hugged the woman tightly. "Kashy! You are okay! I thought that those bastards might have been lying! I was worried so much."

"I'm alright, Kage. Their healer really helped me out."

Kage snorted and pulled away. "Whatever, now we can go back home."

"Wait, what? No! We can't leave! Their leader wants to make an alliance with us!"

"That is a bad idea, Kashoku! You saw what happened when they came through the Stargate! We got attacked!"

"Which is why I stress the issue of an alliance! They know a lot about the Goa'uld and the potential enemies that are out there and can help us in defending ourselves."

"We don't need their help! We took care of those Goa'uld plenty on our own! Besides, we aren't the leaders of Spira. We can't make the decision of an alliance!"

"That's why I was going to propose SG-1 returning to Spira with us to meet with them," Kashoku said. Those words shocked Kage completely. "Weren't expecting that, were you?"

"How stupid are you?!" Kage shouted. "We can't do that!"

"Of course we can. Colonel O'Neill, I'd like to extend an invitation for you and your team to return to Spira with us. I'd love to give you a tour of our world and offer any technology that I can. Then I will return with you to help assist your healers in mastering the dress sphere they have received."

"Kashy!" Kage protested.

"Uh, well, I'll have to talk that over with Hammond but I'm all for it…I guess." He added the last part while looking over Kage.

"Excellent!" Kashoku turned to Kage and grinned brightly. "This will be fun!"

"Fun for who…?" Kage muttered while crossing her arms. This was going to suck.

"Oh, good! No one tampered with _Wing_," Kashoku said as she plopped down into the captain's chair of her airship.

"I'm kind of wishing someone had," Kage muttered.

"Would you cheer up?" Kashoku asked as she spun around to look at her friend. "Do it for me?" Kage showed no intentions of complying with her wishes. Kashoku took in a deep breath and sighed. "Kage, if you do this for me then I'll do something for you…"

That caught Kage's attention. "You aren't saying what I think you are saying, are you?"

"Maybe…but _only_ if you are nice to them!" Kashoku reinforced.

Kage shifted in her seat and eyed her suspiciously. "Fine. But you better not be lying to me."

"You aren't seriously reconsidering quitting singing just to get her to be nice to us, are you?" Daniel asked.

"You stay out of this!" Kage snapped forcefully at Daniel.

"Kage! That is exactly the kind of attitude that _won't _get me back!"

Kage growled at Daniel but gave into her friend. "Whatever, fine. Can we just go to Besaid and get this whole thing over with?"

Kashoku shook her head and programmed her ship to take them to the beautiful island. However, nothing seemed as pretty as it should be with Kage's foul attitude. She only hoped that with her promise her friend would be somewhat more bearable to SG-1; especially Daniel.

There was mostly silence on the airship until it began to slow down above the island. Each of them departed using the teleport sphere and met up on the outskirts of the village. Kashoku took a few steps forward, crossing her arms, and looked down on the village and the temple.

"There isn't much in the village to see, really," Kashoku said.

"There isn't much to see period," Kage said under her breath.

Ignoring Kage, Kashoku continued on. "But there are plenty of beautiful places to see here. I'll take you by the waterfalls and out to the beach and then we can go into the village. Unlike the rest of Spira, Besaid never decided to really rebuild. They wanted to keep the simple machine-free life. I'm sure that you'd like to see the temple, Daniel."

"Yes, actually, I would," Daniel smiled.

"This way, then," Kashoku said as she began walking up the hill and away from the village. The sounds of waterfalls ahead began filling their ears and quickly came into view. "Sphere hunters always should take note of places such as waterfalls. Often there are things hiding behind them or around. Kage and I actually found a sphere at the top of the waterfall there."

"Yeah and it was full of useless information…." Kage sighed.

"What about that city back there? What happened to it?" Carter asked.

"The same thing that happened to every other destroyed city around here," Kage said. "Sin. Look. If you see something that is destroyed it was either Sin or Bevelle. That should save you a few questions."

"Bevelle?" Daniel asked. "That was one of the cities in the war, right?"

Kashoku nodded, "Yes. Bevelle is not very popular among the people…especially not since Yuna discovered the truth about Yevon and the discovery of the Vegnagun; the most powerful machina ever built. Bevelle is known for keeping their secrets…They just can't be trusted."

"Vegnagun would have pretty awesome if it hadn't come to life and planned on destroying the whole world," Kage sighed.

"Wait, a machine came to life?" O'Neill asked.

"The mako energy causes it. Machina fiends aren't uncommon, especially in Al Bhed territory, but the Vegnagun was one bad bitch to have come to life. Mako is essentially what causes dress spheres to exist. The mako allows us to use the specific abilities in the sphere while a person's memories are what make the outfit."

"Where exactly do you get this mako energy?" Carter asked highly intrigued.

"The Farplane." Kage laughed, "Mako energy is basically dead people which makes it highly unstable and unpredictable."

"_Excuse_ me?" O'Neill asked. He turned to Kashoku, "Please tell me she is joking."

"Actually, she's kind of right…" Kashoku admitted. "When people die their souls do one of two things; are sent to the Farplane or are turned into fiends. The souls, which we call pyreflies, become mako energy."

"And despite what you are obviously thinking, Colonel," Kage began, "We don't kill people to make more energy. The energy naturally regenerates itself. Although at the rate we are extracting it there won't be any to regenerate."

"Sounds like back home," Daniel said. "Our energy source, oil, is being extracted at a faster rate than it can be replenished. Only thing is, once it is gone it is gone. We can't kill people and have it replenished. Well, at least not within our lifetime."

"I hope it will never come to that," Kashoku said softly. By that time they had reached the beach, which Kashoku was thankful for. No matter how many times she came there it never seemed quite the same. The only people on the beach were a group of children playing with a ball and their pet dog playing along side with them.

"I don't see why you like it here so much, Kashy," Kage said. "It is way too silent."

"That is precisely why I like it," Kashoku argued.

Kage glared daggers. "Can we please head back now? The damn salt is getting in my eyes."

"Alright, alright, Kage-chan. We can head back." Kashoku was reluctant to leave the beach and the calming aura it gave off, but she knew that an impatient Kage would only ruin the moment so it was best to leave while the moment was still good. The walk back was served in mostly silence as everyone, for the most part, just enjoyed the surroundings. "Come on, Daniel! I'll take you to the temple!"

"I refuse to go in there," Kage said sternly.

Kashoku sighed. "Fine, then you can stay in my tent until we get back. You'll be okay if Shika and her gang come…?"

Kage laughed, "Ha! Kashy, I'd be more worried about them than me. I'll be fine. The quicker you let Daniel drool over the temple the quicker we can leave. Oh! And don't even think about going into the Cloister of Trials."

"Trust me, I won't," Kashoku assured her with a small smile before turning to the rest of SG-1. "Come on; let's make it quick before she gets even more impatient." The temple wasn't but a few hundred feet away from the few tents in the village. There was no one in the temple. The silence was overwhelming. "It's odd not being able to hear the Fayth sing any longer… The temples all over Spira are empty now."

Daniel immediately made his way to the statues within the temple, carefully looking over each one with great care. "Who are all these people?"

"Those are the summoners that defeated Sin prior to Yuna," Kashoku said.

"Wait… What?" O'Neill asked in confusion. "I thought you said Yuna defeated Sin."

"I did," Kashoku said, "and she did. You see, the Final Aeon only brought on a brief calm from Sin. It lasted maybe five to ten years at most. But, Yuna and her Guardians found a way to destroy Sin for good and bring about the Eternal Calm."

"Damn you've got one complicated history," O'Neill complained.

"And we don't?" Daniel asked.

"I really wouldn't know. I slept through History," O'Neill said as he picked up some artifact and put it down after deciding it lacked interest. "So where is that Cloister of Trials thing Kage was talking about?"

"There," Kashoku pointed to a set of single stairs that led to a closed door. "Going in there would be a bad idea. It is extremely hard to get out."

"Are you done yet, Daniel? I'm with Kage on this one. It's kind of boring in here," O'Neill said.

Kashoku noted Daniel's disappointment and gave him a reassuring smile. "Like I've said, there are plenty of other temples in Spira. We can go inside another somewhere else along the way." Kashoku led them back out of the temple and found her face to face with raven hair pulled back into long braids and bright purple eye shadow framing red eyes.

"And where have you been?" The woman asked. "We were all worried sick when Yuna told us she found _Lunestis_ destroyed in the Thunder Plains."

"We thought those weird guys had gotten you… Don't worry us like that, ya?" A man stepped up with bright red hair and dressed in yellow.

"I'm sorry, Lulu! I didn't mean to worry you and Wakka!" Kashoku apologized. "I did get hurt, but our new friends helped us out."

"Ah, you must be the warriors that Yuna told us about," Lulu said. "I must say that this discovery of the Stargate is quite interesting. What will become of it, I wonder?"

"New friends," Kashoku said with a smile towards SG-1. "And some new enemies…but they've fought these enemies before so they know how to deal with them."

"Hmm, well, hopefully they will not cause too much trouble. You should let Yuna know you are alright if you happen to catch her on your way. I know that she is worried," Lulu said.

"Don't worry, I will."

"Come and visit again soon. We miss you out here. Too busy being a big shot," Wakka gave Kashoku a playful nudge before bringing her into a tight hug.

"I'll definitely make more time to come see you guys," Kashoku laughed. As soon as Wakka let go she turned her attention back to SG-1. "I'm going to get Kage. Go ahead and head back to the transport sphere and we'll meet there."

"Kilika Island!" Kashoku grinned as they stepped onto the tropical paradise. "It used to be a port with only a few shacks here and there. Sin attacked and this place was rebuilt bigger and much better. Only problem is all the fighting that happens here…"

"Fighting? Between who?" Daniel asked.

"Youth League and New Yevon," Kage snorted. "New Yevon wants to do a bit of reformation while the Youth League says 'fuck it and move on'. They clash sometimes."

"More like very often," a deep female voice spoke up.

Kage rolled her eyes. "Great."

"What's wrong, Kage? Not happy to see me?"

"Not really. You just really annoy me, Dona. Where's that big hulk of yours? Every time I see him he's crying over you."

"He's up at the temple…" Dona responded.

"Still can't agree on a side, can we?" Kage asked. "You'd think with him being your Guardian on your pilgrimage he'd agree with you and stay away from New Yevon. If anything I'd expect you to side with them rather than him."

"Well, my faith wasn't exactly what I'd call strong. After all, I did quit my pilgrimage," Dona said. "I have things to attend to. I'd stay away from the forest unless you want to deal with a fight."

"Another friend?" O'Neill asked as the dark skinned woman walked passed.

"Umm, more like acquaintance, really… She was one of Yuna's rival summoners but quit her pilgrimage once the truth of Yevon was revealed. It is best, though, that we stay away from the forest if we want to avoid trouble," Kashoku said.

"The forest makes up half the freakin island!" Kage scowled. "If we don't go there then this is all there is to see; a bunch of whiny kids and houses."

"Then this is all there is to see. Either way I promised to show them the _entire_ planet and Kilika is a part of it."

"But it is soooo boring here. Can we go to Luca where I can at least get smashed why the rest of you people talk it up?"

"Smashed as in alcohol?" O'Neill asked.

"On my world that is the only proper way of getting smashed," Kage said.

"Well I'm always up for a drink or two…or three," O'Neill grinned.

"Would it not be wise for you to stop at two, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked.

"Teal'c, if you were referring to the Christmas party then that was a rare circumstance. I usually hold my liquor very well," O'Neill argued. It was very apparent that the Jaffa didn't believe his words.

"Okay, okay, we'll go to Luca. However, Colonel, I would suggest that you don't let Kage touch your alcohol. She has a history of messing with things and making them more potent…" Kashoku stared at Kage who gave her an innocent look back. "Trust me."

Luca was bustling with people and boats docking at the port as usual. The only thing keeping it from being completely packed was the lack of a blitzball game or tournament. Kids ran amuck with no supervision from their parents while they spent their time playing each other in sphere break, a popular mathematical Al Bhed game that had taken the world by sweep.

"Sure is busy around here," O'Neill said as he looked around.

"Largest market place and port in the world," Kashoku mentioned. "I prefer to stay away from here as much as possible but sometimes you just can't get away. Too many people recognize me here and it can get really annoying. It isn't so bad when it is just the fans but when the paparazzi starts getting involved it makes you want to hit someone."

"Then let's hurry and get to The Blitz! Paparazzi never go there!" Kage suggested.

"No one ever goes there except alcoholics and over obsessed blitzball fans to watch games!" Kashoku protested.

"Exactly! Everyone will be either too busy drinking or too busy watching a game to pay any attention to you. Now come on," Kage grabbed hold of Kashoku's arm and began dragging her away from the crowds.

Kashoku had to admit that Kage was somewhat right. The bar was quiet with only a handful of people; mainly men watching the sphere screen. "Well I'll give you the fact that it is silent. Could you at least be nice and get us some drinks…and not _your_ kind of drink?"

Kage rolled her eyes, "That was only once, geez."

SG-1 and Kashoku took a seat at a large round table and waited for Kage to return with six glasses. O'Neill eyed his glass for a moment before taking a sip and immediately having a coughing fit. "Whoa that is a lot of alcohol!"

Kage snorted. "Please, that is nothing. I could handle twice that in one drink." She proved her point by taking a large swig and not even flinching.

Teal'c also took a sip without a change in expression. "It is indeed quite potent, but we have worse alcohol on Chulak."

"Alcohol doesn't affect your kind?" Kage asked somewhat curious.

"No," Teal'c said plainly.

Daniel took a sniff of his drink and instantly put it down. "Uh, do you have any water?"

Kashoku laughed. "That's the way I feel. Come on, I'll get us some." Kashoku stood up and motioned for Daniel to follow her to the bar. "Two waters please." The bartender gave them their water but neither returned to the table. "So, Dr. Jackson, you know a lot about me but I'm afraid I know little about you."

Daniel laughed slightly. "There's not much to tell."

"Sure there is. Tell me anything. Girlfriend? Wife? Parents? Siblings?"

"None of the above," Daniel said with a small smile. He had had a wife... but that was no longer.

"I'm sorry about your parents, then," Kashoku said softly. "I do know how you feel."

"I imagine a lot of people on Spira do. What about you? Boyfriend or siblings?"

"Mmm, no and no. Had a boyfriend a year ago, but I threw him out the window and out onto the streets just in time," Kashoku laughed bitterly at the mere thought of her ex.

"Didn't work out?" Daniel asked.

Kashoku snorted. "You could say that. It was really all just a marketing ploy and I wasn't going to have it. Matsu thinks I'm just his little toy that he can make do what he wants, but whatever." Kashoku took a sip of her water and turned her attention towards the blitzball game on the screen. It was a rerun but she didn't care.

"What the hell could they possibly be talking about?" Kage sneered as she propped her boot clad feet up on the table. Those two had been talking for a w hile hour now and it was really getting on her nerves.

"They are just talking, Kage," O'Neill pointed out. "Does that really bother you?"

"Yes! Do you not understand that!? All of you bother me!"

"Maybe if you just got to know people better," Carter suggested.

"Maybe I don't want to!"

"Maybe you don't want to what?" Kashoku asked as she and Daniel made their way back up to the table.

"Be here with these stupid people! The only reason I am is because of you!"

"Was she mean?" Kashoku asked SG-1. "Because if she was then we have no deal."

Kage's eyes went straight to O'Neill as he pondered his answer. If he ruined her chances of getting Kashoku back on her team she was going to break his neck and make it severely painful.

"No," O'Neill said after a while. "Just annoying."

"Fine. I'll accept annoying since there is no way of getting around that. Why don't we go ahead and head up on to Mi'ihen? It'll be getting dark soon and I'd rather stay at the rest center there than a hotel here…"

"Yeah, probably not a good idea," Kage nodded in agreement.

"Couldn't we just stay up on _Wing_?" Daniel asked.

"We could," Kashoku shrugged, "but I don't really have enough beds for all of us. Besides, there are fun ways to travel besides airship!"

"I swear if you are talking about chocobos I will kill you! I refuse to ride one of those across Mi'ihen!" Kage growled.

"Of course I am! Come on, it'll be fun!" Kashoku pouted.

"What exactly are chocobos?" Daniel asked.

"You'll see!" Kashoku stuck out her tongue playfully. "Come on, let's get out of here." Kashoku led them to a flight of stairs near the railing towards the sea and let them up it. It was there you could tell the city ended as all the buildings disappeared to leave a barren road that seemed to stretch for miles.

"Good! All their chocobos are at the rest center!" Kage smirked.

Kashoku pouted. "Fine. But we are still riding them tomorrow." She walked up to a woman next to a hover cart and smiled. "Six to the rest center, please."

"That'll be 600 gil," The woman smiled.

Kashoku pulled out a card and handed it to the woman. Drawing out a device the woman scanned the card and gave it back to Kashoku with a smile. "All aboard!"

"So what exactly is this road?" Daniel asked as they climbed onto the hover craft and it took off.

"It's a twenty mile stretch of abso-fucking-lutely nothing!" Kage shouted through the wind.

"We'll only be traveling about ten miles to the Travel Agency where we will settle for the night," Kashoku mentioned. "There's a history about this road involving Lord Mi'ihen but I can honestly say I don't remember much about it," she apologized.

It took about twenty minutes for the craft to reach a small building at which they were dropped off. Kashoku headed to the front door and walked inside.

"Welcome to the Mi'ihen High Road Travel Agency! How may I help you?" a man asked from the front counter.

"How many rooms are available?" Kashoku asked.

"Three," the man responded.

"Then we'll take those three." She handed the man the same card she had handed to the previous woman and was given it back. "We'll have to sleep two to a room. Hope you all don't mind."

"Not like we haven't done it before," O'Neill shrugged.

"Come on," Kage said as she dragged Kashoku towards the back where the rooms were. "The quicker we get to bed the quicker tomorrow will come and the closer we are to being rid of them."

Kashoku sighed. "Good night," she waved before she was dragged into the room with Kage and the door was shut. "Don't start acting this way now. You are almost there."

"Hardly," Kage said as she let herself fall backwards onto the bed. "I don't understand why you hang out with Daniel so much! I don't like it."

"Because he's very nice and interesting. I like learning about their world through him," Kashoku said as she sat down on the other bed and began removing her white boots.

"He's too nice! He can't be trusted, Kashoku!"

Kashoku let her boots drop to the floor with a heavy sound and glared daggers at her friend. "This is about Itachi, isn't it?"

"I never once mentioned that asshole's name!" Kage hissed in her defense.

"No, but that's really what this is all about. Itachi started out a wonderful man that you came to love and he betrayed your trust. You think Daniel will do the same thing when this isn't even like that."

"I don't think, Kashy, I _know_! All men are the same!"

"No, they aren't!"

"Look what Ralis did to you."

Kashoku was silent at that for many moments. Kage had a valid point she had to admit. "Yes, Ralis betrayed my trust, but in truth he never really had it. You and I both know it was all just a marketing ploy in the first place. Daniel is different…he doesn't lust for money or power like Ralis and Itachi did. The only thing that man lusts for is knowledge, and that is something we should be willing to help him out with. We are just friends, Kage. Allow me to have that."

"Whatever," Kage snorted. "I'm not talking anymore about this. Oyasumi."

Kashoku sighed. "Oyasumi, Kage-chan."

Everyone was up bright and early the next morning ready to go. After grabbing a bite to eat with little talking they headed outside and were led by Kashoku to a group of cages. The woman grinned. "These are chocobos." She stuck her hand in through the bars and what looked like a large yellow chicken rubbed its head against her glove.

"And what exactly do you do with these things?" O'Neill asked as he put his hand up to the cage but recoiled quickly as the bird snapped.

"Ride them! What else would you do?" Kashoku asked with a giggle. "We are going to ride them the last ten mile stretch to Mushroom Rock Road."

"Are you serious?" O'Neill asked. "Can't we just take the hovercraft?"

"That's what I tried to tell her," Kage snorted.

"Oh come on, it'll be fun!" Kashoku pleaded.

"I think we'll stick to hovercrafts, thanks though," O'Neill said trying not to be rude, so instead he grabbed Daniel by the collar and thrust him forward, "But Daniel will join you!"

"What?!" Daniel said taken back.

"Yeah! He loves this kind of stuff!" O'Neill grinned as he shoved Daniel towards Kashoku.

Kashoku laughed, "Do they always do this to you?"

"Yes," Daniel muttered.

"You can ride one with me. Will that work?"

Daniel let out a heavy sigh with his hands on his hips. Fighting Jaffa: no problem. Fighting the Goa'uld: no problem. Riding this…thing: problem. Yes, he could admit it. He was scared. "Alright, fine. I'll ride it." He couldn't believe he was doing this.

Kashoku immediately made her way to the woman in charge of keeping the chocobos and paid to rent one until the end of the road. The large bird took an immediate liking to Kashoku and rubbed its beak across her shoulder in a lovingly manner. The bird lowered itself low enough for the short woman to board it and then stood erect again. "You ready?"

Daniel hadn't realized how large the chocobo was until it stood erect in front of it. Letting out a huge sigh he stepped forward. "As ready as I'll ever be." The chocobo lowered itself again in front of him and he reluctantly boarded behind Kashoku on the bird's back.

"How about this, Kashy? Your little chocobo against our hovercraft. If I win we skip going through Macalania. If you win we can spend as long as you like there," Kage proposed.

"There's no competition! My hovercraft can't be beat," The pilot said with confidence.

"Don't underestimate her," Kage snorted. "She has a way with animals… It's disgusting." Kage stood up straight and grinned. "Too scared?"

"I accept," Kashoku said. She had never lost a race on a chocobo before and she wasn't about to now.

"Are you kidding?" Daniel asked. "That thing will definitely win."

"The hovercraft is bound by the road," Kashoku whispered with a grin. "My chocobo is not." She took firm hold of the reigns and eyed Kage. "Whenever you are ready."

Kage smirked and took her seat on the hovercraft along with the rest of SG-1. "Hold on tight, this is going to be a bumpy ride. Although I won't be too upset if any of you die along the way."

"Thanks," O'Neill said full of sarcasm.

"On three," Kage shouted. "One, two, three!"

Both hovercraft and chocobo were off in a dash. Daniel clutched onto Kashoku's waist as tight as he could to keep himself from falling off when the chocobo initially sped off. Once he regained his balance he found that it wasn't that bad. The bird has a smooth enough gait to keep him steady. "We're losing!"

"I know!" Kashoku laughed. "But it won't be for long! Hold on tight!" Kashoku reigned in the chocobo and turned him off the trail they were following. The bird jumped from the ground onto a cliff and hopped the islands. "You see? This way is much faster than the path they are taking!"

Daniel was both scared out of his mind and impressed. The bird could jump a hundred feet easily with one jump and seemed to glide in the air. "Are you sure this is safe?"

"Safe? Nothing sphere hunters do is safe!" Kashoku laughed through the air. "Is anything you and your team do ever safe?"

"That would be a big no!"

"Then this shouldn't be a big deal! Hold on! If we clear this jump then we're home free!"

"What do you mean if?!" But it was too late. They were already making the jump. Daniel was sure they weren't going to make it. The cliff they were trying to land on just seemed to get further away with every passing second. Blue eyes shut tight as he felt the chocobo's claws slip from the land. But as they fell backwards the chocobo began flapping its wings and lunged forward just enough to steady them on the cliff. With a heavy sigh he gave a silent prayer. The worst part seemed to be over as the chocobo jumped back onto the main road in front of a large iron gate in front of the hovercraft.

"Dammit!" Kage cursed.

Kashoku giggled as she dismounted and helped Daniel's disoriented body off the large bird before handing it over to the caretaker. "I've never lost a race, Kage. You know that."

"I keep trying…"

"Daniel, are you okay?" Carter asked with concern as she took note of Daniel's color changing face.

"Yeah…I'm…I'm okay," Daniel said with a slight shake of his head to fight off the nausea.

"You'll get used to it after a while," Kashoku reassured him.

"I hope that I'll never have to do that again," Daniel breathed.

"Who goes there!?"

All heads turned to the several guards from the gate pointing arms at them. Kashoku stepped up kindly, "Please, we must speak with Maevyn Nooj. I am Yoshiko Kashoku and these are, well..." How was she going to explain the whole Stargate situation?

"They are the warriors that came through the Eternal Gateway!" The young one said in almost disbelief. "We cannot let them past! They kidnapped Lady Kashoku!"

"Wait, what?!" Kashoku asked. "They didn't kidnap me!"

"Are you sure?" The elder asked, completely ignoring Kashoku.

"I'm positive!"

"No, please, you misunderstand! They didn't kidnap me, they saved me!" Kashoku tried to explain.

"Perhaps they brainwashed you," The elder eyed Kashoku carefully, his gun ready to fire on SG-1.

"The Lady Yuna did say that she believed they were friends rather than foe…" The young soldier threw out.

"Yes, but she did not know for sure."

"True, but she is the one that saved us from Sin. Should we not trust her word?"

The man sighed heavily. "Very well, you may pass."

"Thank you," Kashoku sighed softly.

The iron gates opened and SG-1 with Kashoku and Kage in the lead walked though, gate closing behind them. The ocean could be seen across the rock formations but it didn't look like the beach on Luca. It looked very solemn and fit the mood of the rocky cliffs.

"Seems kind of spooky," O'Neill muttered as he looked over a cliff down towards the crashing waves.

"Mushroom Rock Road is filled with nothing but death. Thousands of people have died here," Kashoku said as they began walking down the path. "Many of the souls here were left unsent and have become fiends. It can be very dangerous around here."

"Then it is a good thing that we are here to guide you."

"Lucil!" Kashoku grinned as she saw the red head. "I should have known you would have been around here.

"It is good to see you, too, Lady Kashoku. Please, this way. Maevyn Nooj and the Praetor Baralai have been expecting you."

"Baralai is here, too?" Kage raised an eyebrow. It was very rare that the two leaders met with each other, even after they had pledged a truce when Vegnagun was defeated. "That has to mean Gippal isn't far behind." The thought of seeing that particular Al Bhed excited her.

"Yes. They knew that you would bring the Earth warriors with you. There is much talking to be had. This way." Lucil began walking across the path with SG-1 behind.

"So who exactly are we going to see?" Daniel asked.

"The leaders of our world. As mentioned in Kilika, there are groups that rule Spira. New Yevon in which Baralai is the leader, the Youth League where Nooj leads, and the Machine Faction lead by Gippal," Kashoku explained.

"You didn't mention the last one," Daniel pointed out.

"That's because for the most part it is an Al Bhed run group. Not many outsiders are allowed in unless they are experts on machina," Kashoku said.

"Like me," Kage smirked.

"You are actually friends with someone?" O'Neill asked in shock.

"Hey, Rikku is really the only Al Bhed I hate. The rest I can at least tolerate," Kage pointed out.

Kashoku shook her head. That was a flat out lie. The only Al Bhed Kage actually liked was Gippal. That was the main reason she had joined the Machine Faction in the first place. Those two were one in the same. Deceitful in all ways, shapes, and forms.

There was no missing the arrival to the Youth League headquarters. A large yellow tent with several others surrounding it and the bustle of people said it all. Gathered together in the near distance were three men talking amongst themselves.

The one in red with what appeared to be an injured leg spotted them first. "Ah, I wondered how long it would take you to get here." Using his crutch he wobbled his way over to SG-1, Kashoku, and Kage while dismissing Lucil. "I am Nooj of the Youth League."

"Baralai of New Yevon," the one with silver hair politely said.

"Gippal of the Machine Faction!" The blonde grinned. He spotted Kage and began to laugh. "Well, well, well. Look who finally decided to show her face on the surface. I had forgotten you were still even alive. How are things down there?"

Kage snorted, "Hell if I would know anymore. Go ask Shika if you really want to know."

"Well it's a good thing I don't," Gippal said.

Nooj gave the young leader a silencing look before turning his attention back to the group. "This has been an interesting last few days. Learning of this…Stargate…and that there are other worlds has been much to take in. Apparently not all that travel through this device are friendly, however."

"Actually, that is partly why we are here. We would like to propose an alliance between our two worlds to help each other when attacked by the Goa'uld or any other alien forces," Daniel said.

"And on what terms besides aid in battle?" Baralai questioned.

"Well, to share technology. Anything we discover on our travels to other planets we will share with you if you share your technology with us," Daniel said.

"Fair enough, I guess," Gippal shrugged.

"It is not your decision alone," Baralai said. "But I will agree to this. However, it will be difficult to find those that are willing to share the secrets of our technology with you, or that simply have the time."

Nooj laughed, "By the looks of it Kashoku has already began sharing with them, am I correct?"

Kashoku smiled nervously, "Well…yes. I was curious. I wanted to know more about them so in exchange I helped them retrieve a dress sphere."

"I have a formal document with me from our leaders if you would like to see that," Daniel said fumbling through his pack.

"No, it is alright. The first part of an alliance is trust. We trust that you will honor your word and you will need to trust that we shall honor ours," Nooj said. "I must apologize, but we really must cut this meeting short. There are more severe problems at hand."

"Looks like we've got some mako problems," Gippal sighed.

"I told you we'd run out!" Kage said.

"Hey! I never said we ran out," Gippal defended. "I just said that we were having problems with it. Shinra's extracting machine isn't working very well at the moment. For as much as he claims to be a genius his inventions aren't working so well. Dead souls have a mind of their own, you know?"

"He's young!" Kashoku mentioned.

"Are you kidding me?" Kage began. "That kid created the Comm Spheres and created dress sphere boards. Young or no, he should at least back up his claims."

"Either way, we won't be able to use the Mako Cannon if another attack comes until we can fix this problem," Gippal said.

"Damn. I was hoping we could get one of those," O'Neill pouted.

"I wish I could help out, but we have our own problems at the moment. I can give you the plans on how to build the machina but that's about it; which won't do much good," Gippal apologized.

"It's okay," Daniel began, "you've already offered much to us."

"Lucil will take you to the Machine Faction in Djose," Nooj bowed his head in farewell before turning his back to them along with the other two leaders.

"At least this trip is being fruitful," O'Neill said. "I think this is really our first big successful alliance."

"Do you not consider the alliances with the Jaffa and Tok'ra as being successful, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked.

"Don't get me wrong, Teal'c, the Jaffa have been a lot of help sometimes, but they are lacking in the ways of technology. And the Tok'ra… Just don't get me started."

Djose was not far and Lucil left them with little word. They brushed on by past the Machine Faction, Kage really not wanting to get held up even longer by having to deal with the Al Bhed. The sun was going down and the blue horizon was quickly turning red.

"Are we close by a lodge?" Daniel asked.

"Mmm sort of," Kashoku smiled. "We could have stayed back at the Machine Faction, but I really wanted to show you the Moonflow at night."

"Moonflow? Is it a river of some sort?" Carter asked.

"A river that is nothing more than another location of stupid eye candy. It has no purpose other than to be pretty. Well I'll tell you something," Kage said, "It ain't that pretty."

"Says you!" Kashoku frowned. "The river is just up ahead. Then we'll see who is right and who is wrong."

"Of course they'll side with you, Kashy! They have the entire time we've known them!" Kage said.

"Then I guess I'm right!" Kashoku stuck her tongue out and laughed.

"Whoa," O'Neill suddenly stopped as bright lights began to glow in the night sky ahead. "I'm guessing that would be it?"

"Sure is!" Kashoku grinned as they approached the water closer. Up close it could be seen that flowers in the bottom of the lake were emitting the lights. "Moonlilies. They contain pyreflies and release them throughout the day. Of course, they are most beautiful at night."

"Wow," Carter said in awe. Out of all the planets they had ever visited, this one by far had the most unique geography and the most beautiful locations. "I'd love to get one of these back to the lab."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Kage snorted. "They are about to have the last shoopuff crossing. If we want to sleep under a roof we better hurry up."

"Alright," Kashoku sighed. "You can actually get a nice view of the river from the top of the shoopuff."

"Dare I ask what that is?" O'Neill asked.

"That."

"All aboards ze shoopuff!" A frog looking creature shouted from atop a large elephant type animal with a curled nose.

"And the thing controlling it?" O'Neill enquired.

"A Hypello," Kashoku said. "Come on. Let's hurry up so we aren't left here for the night!"

The group climbed up onto the shoopuff's back and waited in the saddle box as the creature began the journey across the river. Kashoku leaned over the railing with Daniel next to her and pointed to the water below. "Look. You can see the sunken city all lit up."

"There's a city down there?" Daniel asked, shifting his glasses.

"Mm. Our first ancestors tried to build a city on the water, but as you can see it failed."

"Pretty dumb idea, if you ask me," Kage said.

"No one is asking you," O'Neill said. He barely dodged the fist that was thrown behind Kashoku's back.

"Interesting…" Daniel muttered. "Do you know anything about it?"

"No," Kashoku sighed. "No one has ever found any spheres that talked about it."

"That's probably because they sunk along with the city," Kage said.

"Then why don't they search underwater?" Carter asked.

"Are you kidding? The worst fiends are underwater! Only idiots would do that," Kage said. "I tried it once. It is not fun. Have you ever tried firing a gun underwater? It doesn't really work."

O'Neill nodded his head in understanding, "I guess I can see where that would pose a problem."

"Just a little one."

The ride was long enough to start putting some of the members to sleep, but not too long to not be enjoyable. All but Teal'c and Kage found themselves getting off the shoopuff somewhat lazily. There was a very short walk through the woods before they found themselves in a town that looked as if it were created from trees.

"Guadosalam," Kashoku sighed in relief. "The inn is right there. I'll be happy to show you around the village in the morning."

"Finally, some sleep," O'Neill groaned. He really was too old for this. At least in physical form.

"Kage, is it okay if I room with Kashoku?" Daniel asked as they headed towards their rooms.

"Absolutely not!" Kage shrieked.

"I didn't mean it like that!" Daniel said in his defense. "I just wanted to further talk to her about Spira! Besides, I really think that you and Teal'c would get along nicely."

"I would not mind," Teal'c agreed.

"NO!"

"Kage, please! Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter room together and I don't hear you complaining about them!" Kashoku argued.

"Because they aren't you!"

Kashoku rolled her eyes and grabbed Daniel. "I'll be happy to continue talking to you." Before Kage could stop them they were locked up safely in the room.

"That…that! Arg!" Kage grabbed Teal'c and dragged the Jaffa warrior into a room before slamming the door shut.

"Ha! That was one bold move, Danny boy!" O'Neill grinned.

"You don't think…" Carter began.

"Who cares? It wouldn't be the first time Daniel has shacked up with an alien. As long as it pisses Kage off I'm completely for it! Now let's hit the sack. I'm exhausted."

"Yes, sir," Carter smiled.

Kashoku removed her ear from the door as soon as she was sure that everyone had made their way into a room and smiled at Daniel. "You want to learn more about Spira?"

"Of course! As long as you aren't too tired," Daniel added.

"How about I show you more?" Kashoku grinned.

"Wait, we're going somewhere?"

"The Macalanian Woods."

"Macalania? Isn't that where..?"

"Where I was injured, yes." Kashoku smiled at Daniel eagerly. "So, are you up for it?"

"Yeah, of course. I'd love to see it, but… Shouldn't we get Jack and the others?"

"I'll show them Macalania tomorrow," Kashoku promised. "I'd actually prefer if it was just you and I tonight."

"Oh."

Fearing she had said something wrong by the look on his face she quickly added, "Macalania is its most beautiful at nighttime. No offense to your friends, but I thought you might appreciate it more. There's also the fact that I, well… I don't want Kage to ruin it for you," she admitted softly. "She's never liked Macalania and I'm already expecting all sorts of smart comments from her tomorrow when we go."

Daniel smiled in understanding. "Yeah, I know what that's like. When do you want to go?"

"Right now. Kage should still be too busy ranting to hear us leave, so we should be okay." Kashoku went to unlock the door, missing the look on Daniel's face as he imagined what would happen if the other woman caught them sneaking off. If she didn't outright kill him, the noise would no doubt draw Jack out and the man would _never_ let him live it down.

Kashoku poked her head out and smiled after a few seconds of listening. "The coast is clear. Let's go."

"Right." As they passed Kage and Teal'c's room, Daniel winced at the sound of Kage's angry voice passed through the walls.

"I feel kind of bad for leaving your friend with her…" Kashoku said, noticing his look.

"Don't worry about it. Teal'c can hold his own pretty well. He should be alright. So, how far away are the woods?"

"Not far. Normally we'd have to pass through the Thunder Plains to get there, but since it's rather late I'll just get _Wing_ to pick us up."

As they waited for the airship to arrive, Daniel took the time to get to know Kashoku a bit better without having to worry about Kage interrupting. Despite what he said to Jack, Daniel had found himself intrigued by the cheerful woman since they had first met. It had happened before on other planets with other kind women, but there was something about Kashoku that made her different. He wasn't sure what yet, but he was interested in finding out.

The conversation eventually shifted to the treaty after _Wing_ was in place and they transported onto the bridge.

"Daniel, I know Gippal, Nooj, and Baralai already accepted the treaty, but what happens with it now?"

"Well… The SGC is going to have to return later to finalize it. This was more of a rough draft, really, to make sure that it was acceptable. There'll be another copy drafted that meets both our needs equally that everyone will have to sign… Unfortunately, those three's word of approval really won't cut it for the U.S. government."

"They don't trust us?"

"No, it's not that," Daniel said. "It's more like they don't trust anybody. Our government is ruled by politics, Kashoku. Having something signed and inked is like owning that person's soul. It's hard core proof that you agreed to honor all the points in an agreement, and if anyone tries to back out, the person on the other end of the agreement will hound the other until the day they die."

"I think all leaders become like that eventually…" Kashoku said sadly. "They may start out with good intentions, but slowly they become corrupted until nothing good comes from them."

"Well, there are always exceptions. SG-9 is personally going to make sure that Spira doesn't get taken advantage of, though," Daniel assured her.

Kashoku frowned slightly from the controls of _Wing_. "SG-9? You and you team won't be handling the treaty, Daniel?"

"Well, we're not actually a diplomatic team… I'll try to if you want, but I probably won't be available to visit as often as is necessary for this sort of thing…"

"I see." Kashoku looked down for a moment in disappointment before smiling at Daniel. "You will be visiting other planets, I take it?"

"Yeah. SG-1 is the flagship team for the SGC so we really don't have much time off."

"Do you encounter Goa'uld on your missions often?"

"It varies, actually. Sometimes we won't for months, but then sometimes we'll run into them on every single planet it seems like."

"Are there really that many?" Kashoku asked curiously.

Daniel nodded. "There are hundreds of Goa'uld throughout the galaxy… I don't think anyone but the Tok'ra know the exact amount though."

"How can you expect to win against them then?" Kashoku asked worried for the man and his team.

Daniel smiled. "Well, most of the Goa'uld don't pay us any attention, actually… They're too busy fighting themselves. It's really the System Lords that we have problems with. They know that we're a threat and they're willing to do something about it. As for how we deal with them… We just fight our battles as they come to us. It's all we really can do."

"I wish you luck in your battles then, Daniel," Kashoku said softly.

"Thank you."

The two lapsed into an easy silence until Kashoku called Daniel's attention to the large screen in the front of the bridge. "We're approaching Macalania now. I hope you like the view."

"Oh wow…"

Beside Daniel, Kashoku grinned as he caught his first aerial sight of the Macalanian Woods. "It's even better from the ground."

"Why am I not surprised?"

"Come on," Kashoku laughed, grabbing his hand. "I've already programmed _Wing_ to land at the edge of the forest. Let's get down there!"

"Wait, we're not taking the transport sphere?" he asked as she pulled him away from the bridge and to the elevator.

"Nope! Transport spheres aren't the only way to get off of airships, Daniel; just the preferred way."

"We don't have to climb down a rope, do we?"

"No. I just figured we'd take the ramp down. We could still use the transport sphere if you'd prefer though…"

"No," Daniel said. "The ramp's okay."

The elevator doors opened to reveal the hull and the two stepped out as the ramp began lowering to the ground. "The trees are blue," Daniel breathed, staring out at the forest from the top of the ramp.

"Yes," Kashoku said a peaceful expression on her face. "I guess you didn't really have time to notice much the last time you were here."

"Beyond Jaffa and you getting shot, no, not much."

"Come on. There's someplace I want to show you," Kashoku said. She hesitated before grabbing his hand again, throwing him a nervous smile as she began to tug him down the ramp. "So you don't get lost."

"In a place like this, I might just," Daniel said, trying to stare at everything at once as they headed into the forest. "Kashoku, this is really amazing… I've never seen anything like this." Everything around him was blue and green; the trees, the ground, everything. There were clusters of bright blue crystals of various sizes jutting up from the ground all around the forest, lighting it up with an ethereal glow. Everything around him looked like it was sparkling.

"I'm glad," Kashoku said softly, clasping her hands in front of her as she watched him spin around to try and catch everything. "You've really never seen anything like Macalania? With all the planets you've been to?"

Daniel dragged his gaze away from a crystal that was as tall as he was and shook his head. "No. Well, actually, there was a planet where we saw crystals similar to these, but it was a desert planet and almost all of them had been destroyed by Jaffa for attacking them…"

"The crystals attacked the Jaffa?" Kashoku asked curiously.

"Yeah, they were actually intelligent beings in the form of crystals and – Actually, that's kind of a long story… You said you wanted to show me something?" Daniel changed the subject, feeling slightly nervous as Kashoku continued to watch him. For some reason, he kept feeling flustered when those brown eyes were on him.

Kashoku smiled brightly. "Yes. There's a lake a bit deeper in the forest that'll take your breath away," she said enthusiastically, starting off towards the right.

"Oh, it's already been taken…" Daniel murmured. Kashoku glanced back at him, not having caught his words, but Daniel was already looking around the forest again as he slowly followed her.

"It's just up ahead," Kashoku said, glancing back at Daniel.

Daniel pushed his glasses up on his nose as he looked around them curiously. "Do you hear that?"

"You'll have to specify," Kashoku said amused.

"That sound, all around us. It almost sounds like chimes, but… There. I just heard it again."

"Ah." Kashoku's face lit up as she smiled. "You're hearing the lake."

Daniel gave her a look of slight confusion. "The lake is making that noise?"

"Not exactly… You'll see when we get there," Kashoku told him. "Come on. We really are close." Kashoku held out her hand to him, a child-like eagerness on her face. "Let's hurry."

Daniel didn't hesitate for a moment as he took her hand and followed her. Something twinkling at the edge of his vision had him looking up as they neared a clearing and Daniel found himself staring at the many rising balls of white light.

"Kashoku, what-"

"Shh." Kashoku turned around to face Daniel, one elegant finger pressed gently to her lips. "We're here," she whispered. With a soft smile, she backed farther into the clearing and spun around. "What do you think?"

At her words, Daniel dragged his gaze away from her and finally took in the lake. Unlike the ones he had visited on Earth, the Macalanian lake's water remained still as glass, perfectly reflecting the glowing lights in the sky and around it in its crystal-like water. In the center stood a couple of the strange blue-green trees that populated the Woods, a single large glowing orange orb on each. Daniel wasn't sure, but he thought they might have been flowers if it was really petals that surrounded the orbs. Considering what he had already seen on Spira, he didn't think anything would surprise him anymore.

"It's amazing…" he breathed, turning back to face Kashoku.

"I'm glad you like it," she said. The emotion in her eyes alone told Daniel she really meant it.

"Kashoku… If you don't mind me asking," Daniel spoke up when neither of them looked away, "Why… Why did it matter so much to you? I mean, I know you brought me along because Sam, Jack, and Teal'c aren't exactly into the exploring culture, but why did my opinion matter so much to you tonight?"

"I don't know," Kashoku said softly, turning away from Daniel as she stepped up to her ankles in the lake, not caring that the water was getting into her boots.

Daniel frowned, crossing his arms for a moment as he glanced at the ground. It was only for a second though before he shoved his hands into his pockets, only to pull them out again as he took a few steps towards Kashoku. "But there has to be more to it than that!" he insisted.

"Why?" Kashoku asked. "Why does there have to be more to it?"

"Because… Look, I don't really know, but you can't have made all the extra effort to get me out here without any interruptions for nothing. There's something more to this, I know it."

"I didn't bring you out here to attack you if that's what you're thinking," Kashoku sighed.

Daniel smiled slightly despite his confusion and frustration at the moment. "I never thought that, Kashoku… I would have brought my gear if I had. I just think that… There's something here, between us, that I can't really explain. There's an attraction, definitely, but there's also a sort of connection…" Daniel stepped into the lake and came around until he stood in front of Kashoku. "I'm thinking you felt it too and that's why you decided to bring me here in the middle of the night," he finished softly.

"Daniel, it wouldn't work," Kashoku stated. There was no sense in denying his words, as they were true. "We're from completely different planets and you've said it yourself that we'll rarely see one another – if we ever see one another again at all. Even with the treaty between our worlds, there's no way anything could come of this because you'd always be on missions to other worlds that aren't Spira." Kashoku closed her eyes, feeling frustrated by their rotten luck. Daniel hadn't been lying; there really did seem to be a connection between them and Kashoku found herself wishing they had the time together to develop it into something real, if it ever would have gone further.

"I wish we could, Daniel…," she continued softly, opening her eyes to stare into his own troubled blue ones. "I truly do, but there's not much of Spira left to cover and after you return to Earth, I doubt we'll see one another alone for more than a few seconds at best in the future. And by then you'll have already moved on," she finished, smiling sadly.

Daniel frowned, clearly torn between the truth and what he wanted. "Kashoku, I'm not sure if I can just walk away tonight and forget about this, and I'm not sure you can either…"

"We don't have a choice, Daniel…"

"Yes, we do," Daniel said eyes lightened as he reached out to take Kashoku's hand. "Let's not walk away tonight."

"Daniel..?" She knew what the man was suggesting. It wasn't as if she hadn't done it before, but one-night-stands weren't usually her thing. Nevertheless, when Daniel cupped her cheek gently and brought her face back to face his, a feeling of warmth she had never felt before filling her, Kashoku opened her eyes and nodded anyway. And it was she who leaned forward to initiate their first kiss, and who led them back onto the dry land where they laid down.

~*~

A few hours later, Daniel stirred awake as his watch beeped; still set to wake him up early as if he had been on the base. Turning it off quickly, he sat up and instantly became alert. "Oh boy…"

Beside him, Kashoku's lithe figure shifted, disturbed by his movements, and the Spiran woman opened her eyes. Daniel winced slightly as he deftly grabbed his glasses from the grass and placed them on his face again. The look on her face wasn't exactly the best one to see after a night like theirs. Thinking back, he winced again as he recalled exactly how their night had been. What the hell had he been thinking when he suggested that?

Kashoku didn't say a word to him as she quickly grabbed her clothes and dressed, moving a bit away from Daniel to do so. Sighing, Daniel followed suit and took another look at his watch. "We should get back," he said. "It's still night time at least, but I'm not sure when the sun will rise here… If we're lucky, no one will have noticed we've been gone." As Kashoku nodded quietly, Daniel sighed again, already regretting that those had been his first words to her. As if the air between them wasn't already awkward enough…

"We have less than an hour before Kage will be getting up," she said softly, still not looking at Daniel. "We need to hurry."

"Right…" Daniel followed after the brown haired woman without a word, but inside he was trying desperately to think of something to say to her. For all his skills as a linguist, and his ability to negotiate in tight spots, Daniel couldn't think of anything. He wanted to try to fix the relationship between them, but he wasn't entirely sure how. Daniel sighed, squeezing the bridge of his nose. If he had known a few hours ago what would happen if they acted on their feelings, he never would have suggested anything. Now he'd ruined the one good relationship he had on Spira. He should have listened to Kage when she'd told him to stay away from Kashoku.


	3. Chapter 3

"Kashoku…" Daniel said softly, making Kashoku pause in unlacing her boots. "Can we just talk about this for a few minutes?"

The two had made it back to their room without any trouble, but now that they were back the tense air between them was all the more evident. Kashoku had spoken the bare minimum since they'd awoken and Daniel had begun to worry that the rest of their time together would continue in this vain. If he could get Kashoku to speak to him, maybe he could find a way to salvage at least their friendship, but as it was…

Kashoku seemed to have every inclination to ignore him. It wasn't until Daniel sighed, looking away in defeat that she set her white boots aside and gave him her attention.

"No offense, Daniel," she began quietly, all formality, "but I really don't want to discuss it. In fact, I think it would be better if we went on as if tonight hadn't occurred at all. That is after all how these things are usually done."

Daniel frowned as he read between the lines. "Look, Kashoku, there's no reason why we have to pretend nothing happened," he reasoned. "This thing between us doesn't have to end tonight. If I appealed to General Hammond, I'm sure I could get some time to help with the treaty."

"And when the treaty is complete then what?" Kashoku asked frustrated, not even trying to humor the idea. "You go back to your life-threatening missions and never return to Spira. Why are you so determined over this?"

Kashoku returned her attention to getting ready for sleep, fluffing her pillow with a bit more force than necessary as she tried to squash down her feelings. "It will be upsetting enough when you return to your planet tomorrow morning, Daniel. Please do not try to draw out the pain by giving us both false hopes."

"Kashoku-"

"Go to sleep. We have very little time before Kage comes in to get us up."

"I thought you locked the door…"

"Believe me when I say that a lock won't do much to keep Kage out."

"It kept her out earlier," Daniel pointed out.

"Only because the inn proprietor would have kicked Kage out had she made a bigger scene that she did. It's morning now and we'll be leaving soon anyway so Kage won't care if she's kicked out."

"How long do you think it'll be before she's in here?"

"Daniel, please, just go to sleep. We'll find out soon enough."

Daniel opened his mouth to reply, but Kashoku had already slipped into bed with her back to him. "Oyasumi nasai, Kashoku," he said after a moment. Kashoku never replied, either asleep already or ignoring him. With a heavy sigh, Daniel lay back in bed and slipped off his glasses. Letting his thoughts drift to the woman in the other bed, he closed his eyes and fell into lake-filled dreams.

"Hey! Get the hell up already!"

"Kage! Don't be so impatient. It's not like we're in a hurry."

"Yeah well the sooner he gets his lazy ass out of bed, the sooner we can finish this damn tour. What the hell's taking him so long to wake up anyway?!"

"Not everyone is as light a sleeper as you are, Kage. Just give him a few minutes."

"I gave him five minutes already when I got the others up!"

Daniel opened his eyes blearily after identifying the voices that had woke him up as Kage and Kashoku's. Well, it was more like Kage's had woke him up, whereas Kashoku's voice was the balm for his ears. Daniel toyed with the idea of not getting up yet, but with Kage sounding as bitchy as she did he figured it would be wiser to get up now rather than later.

Kage caught sight of his movements as he sat up and reached for his glasses. With a growl, she picked up his SG pack and flung it onto the foot of his bed. "Get up and get ready!" she snarled. "You've already kept us waiting long enough."

Kashoku sighed as Kage stormed out of the room. After a brief moment where she appeared to be arguing with herself, she met Daniel's eyes and gave him a strained, apologetic half-smile. "I'm sorry about that… Don't feel you have to hurry because of Kage," she said before following the other woman out.

Daniel smiled to himself. Hopefully that was a sign that Kashoku wasn't entirely closed off to the idea of their friendship at the very least.

"Daniel?" O'Neill poked his head into the room. "Still alive in there?"

"Yeah. I'll be right out, Jack."

"No rush," He said, inviting himself into the room. "Just wanted to make sure the Wicked Witch hadn't set any evil monkeys on you yet."

Daniel smiled slightly. "Somehow I don't think she'd appreciate the comparison."

O'Neill shrugged. "What's another pissed off alien?"

Daniel sighed. "I don't think I have to remind you how beneficial this alliance will be to us, Jack…"

"I get it, Daniel - play nice. Speaking of… How did last night go?"

"Fine…" Daniel said guardedly. He didn't think O'Neill needed to know the details, or how his relationship with Kashoku was now up in the air.

"Is that so?" O'Neill grinned. Daniel was a so-so liar on good days, but to someone who knew him as well as Jack did, it was painfully obvious than the linguist was hiding something. And Jack had a pretty good idea that whatever it was dealt with a certain Spiran woman with big brown eyes. "You two must have stayed up pretty late talking. You're usually not this hard to wake up in the morning."

Daniel was saved from answering as Carter appeared in the doorway. "Sir, Daniel, if you're ready Kashoku's going to show us around Guadosalam soon."

"Daniel?"

"I think I've got everything." Daniel pulled his gear pack onto his shoulders and followed them to the inn entrance where Kage and Teal'c were waiting. Daniel couldn't see Kashoku, but he figured she'd be there soon.

Kage let out a groan the moment Daniel came into sight. "Damn it…"

"Sorry… Did I miss something?"

"Kage Yamino was greatly looking forward to leaving you behind, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c explained. "I believe she is disappointed by your appearance."

"Sorry to ruin your fun then," Daniel said, frowning at Kage.

"Whatever. You'll make up for it later," Kage smirked.

It was then that Kashoku entered the inn, frowning suspiciously at Kage as she joined the group. "Make up for what?"

"For being such a slow bastard," Kage snorted.

Kashoku's frown was immediate. "Kage," she said sternly, "I'm not going to say this again. Be nice or our deal is off."

Kage's jaw dropped as she stared at Kashoku in disbelief. "I didn't even do anything!"

"You all but threatened Daniel just now, Kage," Kashoku pointed out.

"That was so not a threat!"

"Um…" Daniel raised his hand, bringing attention to himself. "It kind of sounded like one to me."

"Shut up!"

"Kage! I'm not calling off our deal yet, but you're seriously making me reconsider right now. Cut it out!"

Kage gave Kashoku a cold look. "I can't believe you're bitching at me before I've even done anything wrong."

Kashoku met the look quietly. "I'm not bitching at you, Kage. I'm simply warning you before you _do_ do something."

"Well that's just great," Kage sneered. "You know what, screw this. I'll meet you in the Thunder Plains."

Kashoku sighed, but didn't protest as Kage stormed out of the inn. It was probably for the best anyway that Kage spent some time away from SG-1. The other woman really hadn't liked Kashoku rooming with Daniel the previous night and she had all too short of a fuse this morning to be worth dealing with.

"I guess we should start our tour of the village," Kashoku said after a moment, turning to SG-1. "Without Kage here, feel free to take as much time to look around as you want. We're not really in a hurry since the later we arrive in Zanarkand tonight, the better the experience will be."

"Should we be expecting something like the Moonflow?" Carter asked.

"Mm, not really. Trust me when I say that the Moonflow and Zanarkand are nothing alike."

"Zanarkand is one of your cities, isn't it? What's it like?" She asked curiously.

"Yes it is. As for what it's like… Let's put it this way - Luca may be the heart of Spira, but Zanarkand is the city that never sleeps." Kashoku grinned mischievously.

"Oh boy," O'Neill sighed heavily, figuring out what Kashoku meant immediately. "I can feel my knees aching already…" He was already starting to regret their approaching visit to Zanarkand and they still had the whole day before they got there.

"I guess it's to be expected that a world with this advanced of a pop culture would have at least one party central to its name…" Daniel said distractedly as they made their way through the Guado village.

"As long as they have someplace I can sit, I don't care," O'Neill shrugged. "The dance floor is really not my scene."

"What would be considered your 'scene', O'Neill?" Teal'c questioned.

O'Neill grinned broadly. "Bars, Teal'c. Preferably ones with lots of hockey games playing on TVs way bigger than my own."

Kashoku smiled. "Well, I doubt we have what you call 'hockey' on Spira, but I think I can do you one better."

"Oh?" O'Neill was curious now. What could beat hockey?

"Yuna's husband Tidus is a Blitzball player for the Besaid Aurochs. They've got a huge game tonight in Zanarkand if you're interested in going."

O'Neill raised an eyebrow at his team, silently asking if they were interested or not. "Carter?"

"It could be fun, sir," Carter grinned. Teal'c inclined his head, signaling that he was fine with the idea.

"Danny? Think you can survive a crowd of sports fans?"

Daniel, who wasn't really a sports person, hesitated for a moment before answering. "I think I can manage," he said. It would be interesting to see what sports the Spiran culture had developed anyway. "Are you sure getting tickets won't be a problem?" he asked Kashoku, a bit disappointed when she refused eye contact.

"It won't be a problem."

"Well I guess it's settled then," O'Neill grinned, kind of eager to get to Zanarkand now that sports plans had been made. Sure, Guadosalam was cool for the first few minutes and all but really it was just a bunch of tree houses. The most interesting things around were the Guado themselves and O'Neill tried not to stare at them too long. They didn't look like the sort who'd appreciate it.

"I think you'll really enjoy the game, Colonel," Kashoku said. "Blitzball can get very violent sometimes."

"I like the sound of it already."

Kashoku laughed. "I thought you would. For all your mutual dislike, you and Kage are very similar."

"And suddenly," he sighed, "I'm liking it a whole lot less."

"It is true that you share a similar temperament to Kage Yamino, O'Neill," Teal'c observed in his usual stoic tone.

"I guess now we know what all our allies feel like when they have to deal with Jack," Daniel said.

"Indeed."

"Hey! I'm not that bad," O'Neill protested. Kashoku smiled as she watched the team interact with one another, Carter turning her head away from O'Neill so he didn't see her amusement, Teal'c smiling slightly, and Daniel outright grinning at the older man's playful annoyance. In a lot of ways, their group dynamic reminded her of her Sereclipse days with Kage. Maybe that was part of why she liked them so much.

The explorers toured Guadosalam for another twenty minutes before O'Neill, who was quickly bored with the tree-like appearance of the village, drew the group to a halt. "So are there any other highlights to this place that we need to see?" he asked Kashoku ever so subtly.

Kashoku frowned slightly as she considered his question. "Beyond the Farplane, I suppose not," she said.

Carter perked up at that. "That's where the souls you get mako from are sent, isn't it?"

Kashoku nodded. "There's a gateway here in Guadosalam that leads to the Farplane." She hesitated for a moment before adding, "If you're interested, we can visit there."

"Wait, you can visit the dead?" O'Neill asked in shock.

"In a way, yes. When you step into the Farplane, the pyreflies react to your memories and form the image of the dead person you think of. During the time of Sin, there were those who felt comfort in seeing their loved ones again. They often visited the Farplane to speak to the image as though the person were really there or could understand what was being said."

"But they weren't…" Daniel said quietly, catching on.

"No," Kashoku sighed. "The Farplane simply gives your memory a physical form – or as physical as an illusion can be."

The group was silent for the rest of the trip to the Farplane's entrance. O'Neill took one look around them and let his fingers drift back to his P-90 purely out of habit. "Okay… This is a bit creepy."

"I know what you mean, sir," Carter murmured beside him.

Ahead was a staircase – what it was held up by was hidden in an eerie mist that pooled up from beneath it – that led straight to a large blue puddle that she assumed was the gateway to the Farplane. There were other smaller versions of the upright puddle lining the gateway, but none of them seemed to be accessible save the one they were slowly heading towards. The vague resemblance to the Stargate and the unnerving noise of the room seemed to have the entire team on edge.

As they ascended the stairs, Kashoku glanced back at the group. "I'll show you the memory of my mother," she said. "That way you can get a feel for what the Farplane is like."

"You don't have to do that," Daniel said feeling guilty. From the way Kashoku had spoken of those who visited the Farplane, he got the feeling that she didn't really like the idea all that much. He didn't want her to do something she didn't want to on account of them. Not to mention that even though the proximity to the gateway lessened its similarity to the Stargate's event horizon, he couldn't shake off the feeling of disquiet it brought him.

Kashoku gave him a brief frown before shaking her head as she saw that Carter shared his hesitant look. O'Neill shifted where he stood, equally unsure about having Kashoku show them her mother's memory. The one time O'Neill had seen Charlie again after his son's death had been enough to last him for the rest of his lifetime. Of course, 'Charlie' had been up and walking around, whereas he got the impression that the dead in the Farplane wouldn't be, but the concept was similar nonetheless.

"If you want to truly see and get a feel for the Farplane, then I do need to," Kashoku said. "The pyreflies are only capable of bringing up the image of someone who has been sent. And as none of you are familiar with anyone from Spira, I'm the only one who can bring forth a memory." Before any of SG-1 could try to talk her out of it, Kashoku stepped through the gateway.

"Well," O'Neill said after a moment, stepping forward and swirling the tip of his P-90 through the rainbow energy that made up the portal, "this will certainly make for an interesting debriefing later..."

"The similarity to an event horizon is remarkable, sir," Carter breathed from beside him. "It would take some studying to pinpoint the exact differences and likenesses, but from a purely spectator point of view-"

"Carter, am I going to have to push you through again?" O'Neill interrupted, referring to the major's first trip through the Stargate.

"No, sir," she said sheepishly.

"Good. Let's save the techno babble for later then. Teal'c, watch our six. Just because we can see where we're going doesn't mean it's necessarily real…"

"Jack, I don't think this is an illusion," Daniel said. His blue eyes were fixated on the land on the other side of the gateway where Kashoku stood waiting.

"Daniel, need I remind you that we're about to walk into these people's idea of Heaven? Now I'm not the most religious guy around, but I'm pretty sure the only person who ever left there ended up going a bit farther down than I'd like to. Carter?"

"Ready, sir."

O'Neill gave the gateway one last wary look. "Let's go then. Don't want to keep the dead waiting..."

The step through the gateway was relatively nondescript aside from the drastic scenery change. A brief look around confirmed that Kashoku was the only other person there as the team spread out along the large chunk of rock that was serving as their ground.

O'Neill let out a low whistle as he peered over the edge. "Long way up," he said as he stepped away.

"This is amazing," Carter said beside Teal'c as they gazed out below them. A large field of flowers and huge waterfalls colored the land underneath them. "Sir, we must be at least 300 feet in the air."

O'Neill chanced another glance back over the edge before stepping away carefully. "Nobody trip."

"Kashoku Yoshiko, what is powering this platform?" Teal'c asked the Spiran who had stood back quietly as they looked around.

"I'm not sure," Kashoku said honestly. "Possibly the Fayth."

Slowly SG-1 gathered around the tiny woman as she stood at the edge of the floating platform. After a moment, the ghostly image of a woman formed in the air a few feet away. The resemblance to Kashoku was immediately obvious from the delicate made-up features to the large brown eyes.

"She's beautiful," Carter said, breaking a long silence.

"Yes," Kashoku agreed, tearing her eyes away from the smiling figure and letting the memory fade. "She was." Kashoku turned to the team and gave them the echo of that smile. "While I know I said we had plenty of time to spare in Guadosalam, we should probably get going. The longer we delay, the harder it'll be to catch up with Kage in the Thunder Plains. I don't want to risk missing her entirely."

"Well we certainly wouldn't want that," O'Neill said sarcastically as they followed her back to Guadosalam.

Kashoku sighed, understanding entirely his attitude towards Kage considering how she had been acting around the explorers. "I know you didn't mean it that way, but I would rather rejoin Kage in the Thunder Plains than in the Calm Lands."

O'Neill raised an eyebrow curiously. "Are the Calm Lands un-calm or something?" he asked only partially joking.

"It's not the Calm Lands that are the problem... It's all the gambling."

"You believe that Kage Yamino will not be able to handle herself should she go alone?" Teal'c asked.

"No, Kage can take care of herself," Kashoku said confidently. "It's more a matter of I'd rather have her there to scare off any potential thieves. It's not particularly dangerous, but you can't let your guard down."

Any protests that were to be made were silenced as a loud rumble sounded ahead.

"Almost there," Kashoku sighed, leading the group closer to the exit of a tunnel they'd entered in Guadosalam. The first sight O'Neill got of where they were headed, he stopped in his tracks.

"Oh you have _got_ to be kidding me. We're going out into that?!"

Kashoku looked back at the hesitant group sympathetically. "Welcome to the Thunder Plains. I'm sure you can see why we call it that."

"I might have a bit of an idea," O'Neill grumbled, staring at the onslaught of rain up ahead.

"Kashoku, I don't suppose we could wait until the rain stops?" Carter suggested.

"I'm sorry," the woman apologized, "but it isn't going to stop. We don't call it the Thunder Plains because it rains often, but because it never _stops_ raining. That's why we have the lightning rod towers – to protect travels from being struck by lightning while they cross the plains during the storm."

"Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news and all, Kash," O'Neill began, "but I left my umbrella at home. The weatherman seems to have incorrectly predicted sunny skies lasting all week… I don't suppose you have a few on hand?"

Kashoku glanced at him in confusion. "I'm sorry, but I don't know what that is."

"It's an Earth invention designed to keep the user dry from the rain," Daniel explained. "Although I really don't think an umbrella would be much help in this storm…"

"Is there no other way to get beyond than across, Kashoku Yoshiko?" Teal'c asked. The Jaffa didn't seem to care if they went through the Thunder Plains or not, but the rest of the team were eyeing the lightning towers skeptically. No one seemed to have much faith in the towers' effectiveness.

Kashoku worried her lower lip, staring out into the rainy plains. "I suppose we could simply take _Wing_ to Macalania…" she said eventually. She smiled slightly at O'Neill's whoop of joy and turned to lead them to the nearest transport sphere. She wouldn't tell the four travelers, but she was glad that they had decided not to explore the Thunder Plains. Whether it was the gloomy atmosphere created by the ongoing storm or something else, Kashoku had never felt comfortable there.

Once everyone was on _Wing_, Kashoku headed first for the ruins of _Lunestis_ and then a nearby travel agency to find Kage. The entire group was less than thrilled to note that Kage's mood had only slightly improved in the time they'd been separated from her.

"Did you manage to salvage anything from _Lunestis_?" Kashoku asked as the blonde stepped foot onto the bridge.

Kage scoffed. "Of course not. I didn't even bother looking. Anything that wasn't worth trashing probably got stolen the first night we left it there alone."

"You could have at least looked…"

"If I'd wanted to waste my time, Kashy, I'd have stayed with you this morning," came the sharp reply.

Kashoku programmed _Wing_ to take them to the edge of Macalania and pushed away from the console. "Kage, come with me for a minute," she said as she headed for the elevator. She ignored SG-1's curious looks as Kage shoved away from the wall and followed her off the bridge.

"Well," Daniel said, licking his lips nervously. "That can't end well."

"For her or for us?" Carter asked, already thinking of who Kage would be taking her anger out on if Kashoku called off their deal. Not like Kage had been doing a great job of keeping to her part today anyway…

"Who cares," O'Neill snorted. "She's such a pain in the ass."

"I do not believe Kage Yamino will leave us even if the deal with Kashoku Yoshiko has ended," Teal'c said.

O'Neill exhaled loudly. "Probably not..." The bridge was silent for a few blessed moments. Then, "Think we could hear anything through those doors?"

"_Jack_."

"What?"

"What?" Kage asked the moment they were out of the Tau'ri's sight. "Was I being 'too mean' again or something?"

Kashoku studied her friend's terse expression. "Kage, you're being childish. This isn't about them."

"Oh bullshit." Kage rolled her eyes and slumped against the wall, crossing her arms tight. "Don't feed me that crap, Kashy. You and I both know whatever we're out here for is about them, just like everything else the past few days has been."

"Fine," Kashoku said frowning. "I would ask why you're being so unbearable today, but since that seems to be becoming a daily thing with you I suppose I don't even have to ask anymore."

"Oh congratulations; caught on to that did you?"

Kashoku plowed on, paying no attention to Kage's words. "The other thing I wanted to ask you was if you'd look out for SG-1 when we get to the Calm Lands." For a few seconds it was silent and then Kage burst out laughing.

"You're not really serious are you?"

"I am actually."

"And why the hell would I want to do that? Let them look out for their own asses!"

"Because if you don't, I'll consider your letting them be taken advantage of as enough of a reason to call off our deal, Kage."

To her credit, Kashoku didn't so much as blink when Kage slammed her fist into the wall next to the brunette's head. Meeting her friend's furious blue eyes, Kashoku raised her chin slightly; she refused to back down this time. It was blackmail to bring their deal into the equation, yes, but as much as Kashoku hated having to resort to that she didn't have much other choice. Kage didn't like SG-1 and no matter what Kashoku had said to the team, there really wasn't any other way to keep them out of trouble aside from skipping the Calm Lands altogether, something Kashoku didn't want to do.

"That is absolute bullshit, Kashoku!" Kage hissed. "They're not fucking children; they can look out for themselves."

"Maybe so, but I don't want them to have to!"

"Why?" Kage asked angrily. "Why the hell do you give a damn if they like it here or not? It's not like it's their fucking planet. No matter what happens they can just go home tomorrow as if the past few days never happened. Why the hell do I have to play baby-sitter for them?"

"For one thing, it's because they're going to become our allies, Kage. For another, they're honestly nice people and I don't want to see them being taken advantage off."

"Okay, first off, they're not _our_ allies. All these people are interested in is our weapons and technology. That's _it_, Kashoku, and the sooner you realize that the better. Who gives a damn if they get cheated out of a few things in the Calm Lands? They're sure as hell going to cheat us in the long run. _Especially_ with naïve people like you giving them all our best stuff without so much as anything being gained from it!"

Kashoku pursed her lips. "_I_ care about them getting cheated, Kage. And that'll just have to be good enough."

Kage stared hard at Kashoku for a long moment before inclining her head stiffly. "Fine," she ground out. "I'll keep them out of trouble. But I swear, Kashoku, I'd better get something out of this. No more 'if you don't behaves' held over my head, got it?"

Kashoku relaxed her stance slightly and gave her friend a small smile, knowing that anything more would just set the other off. "Thank you, Kage," she said quietly.

"And another thing," Kage scowled. "You'd better not even think about sharing your room with Jackson again tonight. I will seriously bust that door down and throw him out on his ass if you do."

Kashoku's smile faded as Kage turned to storm back onto the bridge. Sharing a room with Daniel again would be pushing them both a bit too much. Not to mention Kashoku didn't think she could deal with another day of Kage in her current mood. Speaking of…

"Hey, Kage?" she called out.

Kage stopped just short of the bridge door and turned, throwing Kashoku an annoyed look. "What now?"

"I don't know why exactly you're so angry today but… if you want to talk about it, I'm still here for you, you know?" Kashoku's thoughts drifted to SG-1 and the bond the team shared. She had thought that her friendship with Kage hadn't faded all that much through the years, but just being around the four explorers had made it painfully clear in a matter of days what she hadn't seen for years. She hoped it wasn't too late to try and break down the wall between her old teammate and herself.

Kage rolled her eyes and turned back to the door. "You are such a pain in the ass," she grumbled before stepping onto the bridge.

Kashoku sighed and followed after her friend. Why did the woman have to make everything so difficult?

"It's… a big forest," O'Neill said unenthusiastically when the Spirans joined his team in front of the main screen. Wing was showing an aerial view of the woods and unfortunately only a bit of its normal luster was clear in the image. The team wasn't all that impressed. "A pretty one, but… still a forest."

"Save your breath," Kage said. "I've been telling Kashoku that for years, minus the pretty part. She's _still_ in love with it for some fucking reason."

"What's not to love?" Kashoku pouted. "It's beautiful!"

"Yeah, a beautiful waste of space," Kage snorted. "We're not spending a lot of time here are we?"

"We'll stay as long as our guests want to." Kashoku smiled eagerly at the team as _Wing_ lowered itself to land. "Are you ready?"

O'Neill cast one last look at the huge spread of the sparkling forest and adjusted his hat. "I guess…" Hopefully they wouldn't have to cover all that ground by foot.

Kashoku spent the short trip down to the hull of the ship telling SG-1 of the forest and its history, her enthusiasm making even O'Neill gain an interest. She had only just begun mentioning Shiva, the aeon whose presence in the now-sunken Macalania temple had kept the forest frozen for hundreds of years, when the ramp door began lowering.

"I've always felt that Macalania is the best part of Spira," Kashoku said softly as the forest was slowly revealed to them. "I've come at least a thousand times and I still can't get over its beauty."

"Personally I don't see what the big deal is. It's just a stupid forest," Kage spoke up.

"Ah but you forget," O'Neill grinned, more enthused now. "It's a _blue_ forest."

Kage stared hard at the colonel. "Is that supposed to make a difference to me or something?"

"No world we have come across before in our travels has possessed trees of such a color," Teal'c explained. "In that way, Macalania is most unique."

"And I'm supposed to care now that I have this information?" she sneered.

"Oh for cryin' out loud!" O'Neill groaned. "Can someone keep her away from me before I give into the urge to shoot her?"

"Hey, if you want to try something, I'll be more than happy to-"

"Kage, Colonel – enough!" Kashoku looked from one to the other in exasperation. "Will you two please just behave for now? You just have to make it through the forest before you can go work off some steam in the Calm Lands. It's not _that_ far. So, Kage, please stop antagonizing Colonel O'Neill; and, Colonel, please stop rising to the challenge. If you ignore Kage's barbs, I'm sure we'll all enjoy this day much more than we have so far. Now, are you two _children_ ready to see Macalania up close and in person or do I have to make you sit in a corner for a while to calm down first?"

O'Neill stared at Kage, the woman arching an eyebrow challengingly in return. "Alright," he sighed. "I guess we can behave."

"Thank you," Kashoku sighed in relief. She wasn't fool enough to believe that their peace would last long but Kashoku would enjoy it while she could.

Kashoku didn't wait around for a response as she hurried down the ramp, Daniel on her heels as he looked around the forest eagerly. Kashoku had been right when she said that the forest was more magical at nighttime, but Macalania in daylight was still stunning. Behind them, Teal'c followed at a much more sedate pace while Kage stayed behind O'Neill and Carter so she could keep an eye on everyone.

"Why do I always get blamed for everything?" O'Neill asked under his breath as he began down the ramp with Carter.

"Well, sir, you did add to the fire," Carter pointed out.

"But I didn't start it."

"I believe that is an improvement, O'Neill," Teal'c said as they caught up with him.

"Something to put in the mission report then," O'Neill grinned proudly.

Kage shoved past him with a roll of her eyes and a muttered "Idiot."

Aside from the attractive surroundings and the occasional jibes exchanges between Kage and O'Neill, not much happened during their trip through Macalania. Or at least nothing had until Teal'c fell in next to O'Neill about a third of the way through the forest.

"We are being followed."

O'Neill didn't miss a stride, simply shifted his gun a little closer and cast his eyes to every nearby nook, cranny, and shadow in between. "Hostile?"

"I am unsure. They have yet to do more than watch until now," Teal'c responded quietly.

"How long have they been back there?"

"Long enough."

Kage snorted a bit ahead of them, clearly having been eavesdropping. "That's it? No 'how do you know'? No one else has noticed anything and you take this guy's word for it that we're 'being followed' just like that?"

"Uh… _Yeah_. Just like that."

"Look, it's probably just some idiots who got lost and are following us to help get out. Don't hold us up because you're paranoid."

"If that is all they desire, why then would they conceal themselves from us?"

"Because they're idiots," Kage scowled. "Maybe they have too much pride to admit to being lost."

"You would know all about that, wouldn't you?" O'Neill couldn't resist asking. Kage hissed at him and drifted away a few feet, pretending again that she wasn't listening to their every word.

"Any chance she's right and it's just someone lost?" he asked after a minute of walking in silence.

"It is unlikely. I have attempted to locate them many times, but they conceal themselves with great skill."

"Are you sure it's not just your imagination?" Kage asked unkindly.

"Hey, if Teal'c says someone's following us, someone is back there," O'Neill said, defended his friend.

"Just because someone says one thing doesn't make it true," she bit back.

O'Neill stopped in his tracks. "You know, I've had it up to _here_ with you. No one asked you to come along on this tour and frankly, I'm sure we'd all rather have you gone. If you hate us so much, why don't you just leave? Go pick a fight with a toddler or something – I don't care! Just go the hell away before one of us – namely me – does something I'll regret."

"Oh I'd like to, believe me," Kage bared her teeth and leaned in close to O'Neill, "but as long as Kashoku is with you, rest assured that I'll be right here by you. So I suggest if you want me gone so bad, you don't linger anywhere unnecessarily, Colonel. _Wakatta_?"

"Yeah," O'Neill said darkly. "Capiche."

"Good." Kage smiled thinly and pulled away, resuming the walk as if nothing had happened. "Hey, Kashoku! Can we move on already? You're the only one still enjoying this damn place."

Farther ahead of the trio, Kashoku looked back with barely concealed disappointment. "If SG-1 is ready to leave, I suppose we can head back to _Wing_…"

"I'd actually like to stay for a few more minutes if that's alright with you," Daniel said quickly.

"Well it's not, so turn your ass around and get moving," Kage huffed.

"It's fine, Daniel," Kashoku interjected, jumping at the chance to linger in Macalania even if she wasn't sure that she wanted his company after last night. "If you want to head back to _Wing_, Kage, you're welcome to. I'll continue on with Daniel and whoever else wishes to stay if you'll show anyone who wants to turn back the way to the ship."

"Fine, whatever," Kage snorted, turning on her heel and heading back the way they came. "I'm not waiting for stragglers though so if you're coming, move your ass."

Kashoku glanced at O'Neill, who was eyeing Kage's retreating back. "If you really don't want to continue on, I'm sure you'll be capable of avoiding Kage on _Wing_ while you wait for us."

"Still have to deal with her until we reach the ship…" O'Neill exhaled slowly.

"Actually, Jack, why don't you go ahead and follow Kage back," Daniel piped up suddenly.

"…Why?"

"Well, you were complaining about your knees earlier-"

"I was not!"

"-and you've said it yourself trees aren't really your thing-"

"When?"

"On previous missions, pretty much whenever we visit a planet with a forest."

"That's only when we have to walk god knows how far just so you can look at a stupid rock that may or may not have been written on a thousand years ago about the wonders of _farming_. And that was just twice."

"That happened three times actually, and that's not the point."

"Well maybe I don't know what the point is."

Daniel frowned.

O'Neill lifted an eyebrow encouragingly.

Daniel sighed. "Jack."

"Daniel?"

Daniel opened his mouth, glanced at their company, and shut it. "You're going to lose sight of Kage."

"A blessing, I assure you."

"_Jack_."

O'Neill's stare remained unwavering however and so it was that Daniel shifted his eyes pointedly towards Kashoku and then back. "Oh. You could have just said so."

Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose. So much for discretion. "Goodbye, Jack."

"Yeah, sure. See you kids on the other side of the forest. Carter, Teal'c?"

Carter shot Daniel an amused look. "I think I'll accompany you back to the ship, sir. I'd like to take a closer look at _Wing's_ controls anyway if that's okay with Kashoku."

"That's fine," Kashoku said. "_Wing_ could probably just tell you most of what you want to know, but since the characters are all in New Spiran I'd advise asking Kage to help you out so you can understand everything better."

"Do you think she'd actually do that?" Carter asked dubiously.

Kashoku hesitated a moment. "It's worth a shot."

"Great…"

"I will accompany Kage Yamino to _Wing_ as well," Teal'c said. There was a slight smile on his lips as he dipped his head towards Daniel and Kashoku, quietly acknowledging the linguist's unspoken gratitude.

"Keep an eye out for snakes and tree roots, Danny," O'Neill called in parting as they hurried to catch up with their wayward guide.

"I guess it's just us then," Daniel said as he glanced back at Kashoku. The petite woman was staring at him with her large brown eyes narrowed, a frown upon her face. He quickly decided against asking what was wrong. Only an idiot would really think Kashoku was oblivious to what he'd just done. Before he could say anything to bridge the awkward silence though, Kashoku was turning away, continuing deeper into Macalania.

_Well you knew it wouldn't be easy…_ Taking a deep breath, Daniel hurried after the Spiran. "Kashoku, wait! I wanted to talk to you…"

"Obviously," she said stiffly. Then, sighing, "I don't want to talk about last night, Daniel. I thought I made that clear."

"Then don't. If you don't want to talk about it, don't say anything. But at least let me say what I want to."

"Fine. Talk. I don't suppose I could stop you anyway."

"Will you at least listen? It doesn't matter what I say if you don't actually hear a word of it."

Kashoku paused for a moment before half-turning to see Daniel's face. "Alright," she said finally, moving to face him. "I'll listen. What did you want to tell me, Daniel?"

"What the hell took you so long?"

Kage's angry voice sliced through the temporary silence as the three members of SG-1 stumbled upon her.

"I thought you weren't waiting," O'Neill shot back. He wasn't sure whether he should be disappointed or relieved that they found her.

"And listen to Kashoku bitch me out for hours later because you got lost?" Kage sneered. Her gaze slithered over them and each could feel it the moment she registered exactly how many of the travelers were present. Kage's expression darkened. "Jackson's the only one still continuing on?"

"Got a problem with that?"

Words weren't necessary as the Spiran shoved away from a large crystal and stalked past SG-1. It didn't take a genius to figure out what she was planning.

"Kage!" O'Neill barked. "Damn it, stop! Just leave them alone for once."

To his surprise she actually listened, though there was no telling how long it would last. "And why the hell should I?"

"We're in the middle of a forest; do you _really_ think Daniel would do anything to Kashoku here?" O'Neill received an arrogant lift of the brow in response. "They're just going to talk for Pete's sake! We're all leaving soon anyway so why can't you just let them have a moment's peace?"

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe Kashy doesn't _want_ to talk to him?!"

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe she does?" O'Neill countered. "You know, they were getting along just fine yesterday until you started riding everyone's back about it. What do you have against Daniel being friends with her anyway? You've been around the guy long enough that you should _know _he's not out to manipulate Kashoku. Is this some kind of jealousy thing because if it is- Hey!"

O'Neill moved back quickly, P-90 automatically lifted as Kage lashed out at Teal'c. The woman was futilely trying to remove herself from the Jaffa's tight grip where he had caught her wrist when she'd attempted to strike at O'Neill. "That's enough!" O'Neill ordered, having grown tired of her constant attempts to attack him and everyone else under the sun. Kage stilled in the face of the three guns, her muscles taut as she switched her burning gaze from Teal'c to Carter to O'Neill. _At least something can shut her up_, he thought.

"Teal'c? You alright, buddy?"

"I am, O'Neill." The Jaffa had a few angry red welts on his arm where Kage had clearly dug her claws in, but otherwise he appeared none too worse for wear. A fact that no doubt pissed Kage off more than her being in their line of fire was.

"Good. Now, what the hell is your problem?" O'Neill asked Kage sharply.

"You are!" she spat. "Why don't you just go back to your own planet and bother someone there already? I'm sick of having to listen to everyone – especially Kashy – fall all over themselves just to impress the fucking visitors from another world when you're only here to get our technology and leave anyway!"

"Has anyone ever told you you're a bit paranoid?" O'Neill hissed.

"Kage, we have no intention of ripping your people off," Carter said. "What we have to offer may not be as fantastic as all the things you have on Spira, but we're going to try to keep this a fair deal. We really do want to be allies with your people."

Kage sneered. "Considering all the things I've already seen and heard you drooling over, I highly doubt that you have anything worth even a fraction of what it would require to make this deal fair. You already owe us for the White Mage dress sphere and frankly, I saw nothing on your planet that could equal even that."

"You spent all your time in a holding cell! Of _course_ you didn't see anything interesting!"

"And whose fault was that?!"

"Well if you hadn't been such a pain in the-"

"The Tau'ri possess many interesting things on their world," Teal'c cut in, tightening his grip on Kage in case she decided to attack Colonel O'Neill again. "It is my belief that you will easily find something of equal or greater value if you take the time to look."

"I'm so sure," Kage scoffed.

"Hey, don't diss the cooking before you taste it."

"If it was yours, it would probably poison me."

"I'll have you know that I don't need to cook because unlike Spira, Earth has the wonderful concept that is take-out," O'Neill told her smugly.

"Like I care." Kage struggled in Teal'c's grip again, trying everything to break free save her more harmful methods. Kage didn't exactly have another White Mage on hand to patch SG-1 up if she did anything more than bruise them and she didn't need Kashoku on her ass about injuring the explorers. But seriously, what the hell was this guy made of? Anyone else and she would have been free by now. "Let me go or I swear I'll fry you!" she hissed.

"You know, Kage, you really need to work on those people skills of yours," O'Neill chided. "You'd be amazed how much nicer people will be to you." Kage just glared. "Alright, alright. Hold your horses." O'Neill dug in his gear and pulled out a long piece of stiff black plastic.

"Hands behind your back," he said.

"_What_?"

"Put your hands behind your back."

"Like hell! What is that thing!?"

"Handcuffs basically," O'Neill said dangling the plastic in front of Kage's face. "You don't think I'm going to let you walk around with free fists when you've been murdering me with your eyes the past ten minutes, do you?"

"You are not putting that on me!"

O'Neill shrugged. "Your call. Teal'c, you think you can carry her back to the ship then?"

Teal'c considered Kage's angry form for a moment, not at all intimidated by the murderous glare. "I believe it is possible, O'Neill."

"Great. So what's it going to be, Kage: handcuffs or Teal'c?" O'Neill's earlier anger was almost completely gone, replaced with his amusement as he gave Kage a broad grin. The disbelieving look on the woman's face was priceless.

"If you even think about picking me up I'll slit your throat, deal with Kashoku be damned," Kage snarled looking up at Teal'c quickly.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow and promptly dismissed Kage's threat as though it were nothing. Of course, having once been the First Prime of Apophis, it probably was nothing. "It would appear that Kage Yamino has chosen to accept the restraint."

O'Neill pouted. "Damn. I was hoping for the second option."

"Fuck you!"

"Ah, sir, she is our only way back to the ship," Carter reminded O'Neill quietly. "It might not be a good idea to antagonize her anymore."

"I know. I'm done for now anyway." O'Neill stepped up next to Teal'c and quickly wrapped the restraint around Kage's wrists, though not before pocketing her necklace of magic rings. "Alright, Teal'c," he grinned after tugging the restraint a bit tighter than necessary just in case, "you can let her go now."

The first thing Kage did when she was released was kick O'Neill in the ass. "I hope you like this forest because you can be damn sure I'm going to wander all over the place after this crap," she growled.

Carter shot O'Neill an 'I told you so' look as she followed after Kage.

"She was asking for it," O'Neill said in his defense.

"I believe Kage Yamino would have led us astray whether you restrained her or not, O'Neill," Teal'c observed quietly as they trailed behind the two women. "Daniel Jackson's time alone with Kashoku Yoshiko has greatly angered her. It would be wise to keep an eye on her for the remainder of this trip."

O'Neill sighed heavily. "I'd thought that seemed pretty easy… Damn it. Daniel's always got to stir up trouble for us."

"Much blame in the past has lied with you as well, O'Neill."

"Hey! Only some of those instances were my fault."

"You didn't think this out much beyond getting me alone, did you?" Kashoku asked, turning away from Daniel to continue on.

Twice already the man had tried to tell her something but never yet had he expressed anything with any degree of effectiveness. He was talking – there was no doubt about that - but Kashoku could only follow his words because she had a pretty good idea of what he was leading up to. She was making no moves to help him out though. Kashoku wanted no part of Daniel Jackson's tempting plans to make Them work.

"I'm actually kind of playing it by ear," Daniel admitted as he followed her. "Look… After last night, I tried to forget about this attraction between us since, as you said, it probably wouldn't work out, but… I'm sorry, but I just can't get you off my mind, Kashoku."

"Then try harder. We barely know each other, Daniel, it can't be that difficult."

"I'm not expressing this very well, am I?" Daniel asked. He sighed and gathered his thoughts for a moment before capturing Kashoku in his intense gaze again. "Kashoku, I know we might have agreed that nothing should happen beyond last night but… the more time I spend with you, the more I find myself wanting something more."

"Then look for it elsewhere, Daniel. From what I understood from Colone O'Neill, I am not the first, and I won't be the last."

Daniel could feel his cheeks grow red at that. "You aren't some conquest, Kashoku. This wouldn't be a temporary thing."

Kashoku stared at him long and hard before shaking her head. "I would rather you say nothing than offer me words we both know aren't true. I'm not a child. I do not need sweet nothings from you."

"I'm not really the type to spout out such things, Kashoku," Daniel said honestly. "I'm serious about what I said. All I ask is that you give us a chance to make something out of what we have together. We'll figure out the rest in time."

"Time is a luxury we do not share, Daniel," Kashoku pointed out. "What is it about me that is so different than those that came before me? Did you ever once try and make it work with them?"

"Yes!" Daniel spoke strongly. "I gave up everything on Earth to stay with someone I had met on another planet. I married her!"

Kashoku came to a sudden halt and her eyes locked onto his. "What?" She breathed almost silently.

Daniel swallowed painfully at the thoughts of Sha're. "I let Jack go back to Earth while I stayed to be with her, and I was happy until the Goa'uld came and took her from me."

Kashoku was the first to look away. "I'm sorry…" she said in place of the words she couldn't voice. "I'm sorry that happened to you and your wife, but I could not, and will not, ask you to stay here."

"I'm not going to give up, you know."

"You're just wasting your time."

"I disagree."

Kashoku opened her mouth to speak but footsteps coming up from behind silenced her. She turned curiously to see who had trekked so deep into Macalania only to whip back around towards Daniel as a few bursts of gunfire were let out. The archaeologist jabbed an elbow into his choker's stomach to no avail, simultaneously kicking out at the other assailant who had snatched away his P-90 after the brief struggle. With a growl, Kashoku pulled out both of her guns and fired a single shot beside the man with the P-90's ear, turning her body at the same time to meet the man approaching behind her with her other gun.

"Tell them to get away from Daniel now or I swear you won't be in any position to do anything again."

The man let out a low chuckle, tapping the muzzle of her gun with his index finger. "Your threats could still use some work, Kash." His icy blue eyes glinted confidently under fine dark lashes and it was an easy smirk that he met her angry gaze. "I believe it is you who needs to stand down though. You are, after all, the one who has far more to lose in this situation."

Kashoku smiled slowly. "Considering how highly you view your life, I'm not so sure about that, Ralis."

"Still trying to act like your butch friend?" Ralis shook his head mockingly. "Come on, Kashy, you're far too delicate to intimidate me like that. Now," seriousness crept into his light tone, deepening it with hints of something sinister, "considering how highly you view others' lives... I would drop your weapons before something terrible befalls your dear Daniel. We don't want my friends to have to do something drastic to him, do we?"

Kashoku glanced back towards Daniel as the sound of flesh meeting flesh met her ears, the two men Ralis had brought with him not stopping at restraining the Tau'ri. "Tell them to leave him alone," Kashoku ordered, glaring at Ralis.

"Drop your weapons and I will," Ralis promised.

The moment Kashoku lowered her guns, Ralis was moving.

~*~

"Are we there yet?" O'Neill droned for the twentieth time in the past five minutes.

"No."

"Are we there yet?"

"_No_."

"Are we there _yet_?"

"Shut up!" Kage screamed, whirling around to face the team.

O'Neill put on his best innocent face. "I was just asking."

"Be silent before I rip that wagging tongue from your mouth," Kage growled.

"You know, that threat would have been a lot more effective if you had the use of your hands," O'Neill said calmly. "But seriously, how much longer do you plan on leading us in circles? I'm an old man; I can't take all this nonstop walking at my age."

Kage rolled her eyes and turned back around. "Please, I'm at least a good thirty years older than you according to Kashy. Don't even pull that old man shit with me. It's not my fault if you're out of shape."

"I'll have you know I'm in very good shape for my ag-"

"Shut up," Kage hissed, ducking behind a tree suddenly. Instinct had O'Neill, Carter, and Teal'c following before they even knew what had startled her.

"There appears to be someone up ahead," Teal'c observed as the sound of joking voices reached their ears.

"No, _really_?"

"So what's the problem?" Carter asked, exchanging a confused look with O'Neill.

Ignoring the question, Kage slunk forward until she was near the edge of the forest with SG-1 following her warily. Only twenty feet away from them rested _Wing_, another more elaborate airship beside it.

"I swear every time she holds a performance that asshole tries something within the week," Kage muttered, raking her gaze across the group of guys hanging around the new airship. She failed to spot the one particular guy she was looking for. "_Damn it_. I can't believe this! I wouldn't have missed him going by if you assholes hadn't made me take detours," Kage said angrily, glaring at SG-1.

"_Made_ you-?" Before O'Neill could get any farther in his protest, Kage broke free of her restraint and hurried back into the forest.

There was a moment of silence following this before Carter reached for the broken plastic. "She pulled it apart like it was nothing."

O'Neill made a face beside her. "So you know that comment I made about the ripping out of the tongue thing..? Remind me never to do that again."

"Do you believe we should follow Kage Yamino, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked, staring after Kage and marking the trail she'd made in case they were going to pursue her.

O'Neill glanced back at _Wing_ and reassured himself with the fact that none of the group seemed to be messing with the airship. "Probably," he said. "Better give Daniel a heads up about what's coming his way though. I'm assuming that the 'he' Kage mentioned is looking for Kashoku."

"Another admirer?" Carter asked.

"If Kage doesn't like him, anything is possible," O'Neill snorted. He pulled out his radio and pressed the talk button. "Hey, Daniel?"

Nothing but silence. O'Neill raised the device to his lips again. "Daniel? Yoohoo."

Teal'c shifted his grip on his staff weapon as Jack called for the archaeologist once more. If something had happened to Daniel Jackson and Kashoku Yoshiko, the Jaffa was ready to fight.

"Daniel, I swear if I find out you're playing tonsil hockey right now, a 'priceless artifact' is going to kick the bucket when we get back, I can promise you that!"

"I'm afraid Daniel's a bit busy right now," a smooth voice cut in. "So for the moment why don't you shut up, old man."

O'Neill met Carter's worried eyes. "And who the hell are you?"

"If you don't already know of me, you're not worth my time."

Ralis threw the Earth device behind him carelessly even as the voice coming out of it began to say something else. The sound of it breaking against one of the many Macalania crystals brought an attractive grin to his tanned face splashed with freckles. "Well that was an unnecessary annoyance. Now that we've got a bit of privacy again, how have you been, Kashy?"

"You really have no right to call me that anymore, Ralis," Kashoku scowled beside Daniel.

Daniel wiped a bit of blood away from his split lip. "I take it this is the same Ralis you dumped?"

"The one and the same," Kashoku said. "Here, let me…" Kashoku placed her hands on either side of Daniel's face and activated her white magic, quickly healing the cut and bruised flesh. She had only just finished when Daniel was shoved roughly away from her by one of the two men Ralis had brought with him. Kashoku's re-summoned gun was on the man before he could even pull back. "I wouldn't try that again if I were you," she ground out.

"Nor would I try that, Kashy," Ralis smiled, gesturing towards where Daniel had fallen. Behind him stood the blitzball player's second goon, still holding Daniel's P-90 from earlier. "Didn't we already discuss you putting those toys away?"

Kashoku's answering sneer was almost worthy of Kage. "I agreed only if you agreed to leave Daniel alone. I don't see why I should keep my word when you aren't."

"How coldly you speak to me," Ralis laughed. "What happened to the Kashy who used to adore me?"

"That person never existed, Ralis," Kashoku bit out. "Just like the Ralis you showed me was nothing more than an act."

"That's not at all true, Kashy," he said. "I wasn't faking when I told you I loved you."

Kashoku shook her head in disgust. "You loved something, Ralis, but it wasn't me. Whatever it is you want to say, just say it. But leave Daniel out of this."

Ralis ignored her words and approached Daniel's kneeled form. Grabbing the archaeologist's chin in a rough grip, he jerked his head to the side and trailed a finger along the man's cheek where a bruise had been forming moments ago. Daniel yanked his head away and glared defiantly.

"Don't touch me," he ground out, unable to do much more with the gun at his skull.

Ralis patted Daniel's cheek mockingly and stood up. "I fail to see why you took the time to heal him when you _know_ I'm just going to have to bruise him up all over again."

"If you touch him, Ralis, you'll regret it," Kashoku swore, her gun following Ralis's every movement.

"Now why does that sound familiar..?" Ralis wondered aloud mockingly as he circled Daniel. "Oh yes, I remember now. Didn't I once say something similar to you, Kash? 'If anyone touches you, they'll regret it'? You had done such a good job adhering to that up until now. Imagine my surprise when I saw your ship at the edge of Macalania last night and discovered that you weren't alone here in the forest. And not only were you not alone, but you were entertaining some company." Ralis punctuated 'company' with a swift kick to Daniel's stomach that made the other man double over.

Kashoku's face flushed with embarrassment and anger. The only thing keeping her from firing off a couple of shots into the man's body was the warning look Daniel shot her as he picked himself up.

"What I do with my body is none of your business, Ralis. You hold no claim on me."

Ralis met Kashoku's eyes at that moment and the wild, heated expression in his eyes was enough to silence her if only for a few seconds.

"I hold every claim on you, Kashoku," Ralis said icily. "You just haven't realized it yet."

Before Kashoku could respond, he continued on with his earlier tirade as though she had said nothing. "I had heard all about your earlier escapades with the visitors of course – how you came across them, how you were injured when those Jaffa attacked, and how you returned singing the Earth people's praises. I didn't really care about any of that until I heard how you had already started trading with them. Not even _trading_, Kashy. Tell me, did you actually _give_ these people one of Spira's White Mage dress spheres?"

Kashoku raised her chin. "I did."

"Of course you did," Ralis sneered. "You always were a naïve little fool. Did it ever once occur to you that these people have nothing to offer us in return for our generosity?"

"Not every act of kindness requires a reward, Ralis," Kashoku said, bristling. "But I suppose that's not something a selfish man like you could ever understand."

"Selfish, but self-satisfied," Ralis acknowledged. "Can you say the same, Kashy?"

"He who is satisfied so early in life soon quits trying and learns nothing."

"No? I thought not."

Ralis circled Kashoku and paused behind her, running his hand through her hair as he bent down to rest his cheek against hers. Kashoku's entire body was tense against him, ready to attack at a moment's notice, but Ralis ignored all of that. Tilting his head slightly so their cheekbones brushed, he grabbed a fistful of her hair and stared straight at Daniel. His voice was just loud enough to be heard by all those present as he spoke to Kashoku in a charming tone that was at great odds with his hostile personality. "You brought back nothing from Earth when you returned. Nothing. If I know you, Kashy, you've probably already promised at least ten other things to these people. At least tell me you earned something for Spira last night when you spread your legs for this man and offered yourself up, something you so rarely even did for your boyfriend…"

In a rare show of vindictiveness, Kashoku smiled and turned her head slightly to see Ralis more clearly. "That _was_ my reward."

Ralis's nostrils flared as anger overtook the blitzball player and Kashoku felt satisfaction flow through her system even as her scalp began to ache from the tight grip on her hair. It wasn't often that Kashoku got to piss someone off so much and for once in her life, she was enjoying it.

"Well then. We'll just have to take compensation from the Earth man ourselves, won't we?" Ralis proposed, trying to lessen his fury. "The least they can do in exchange for dress spheres is help keep our mako supply up, right?" He connected eyes with his friends and nodded towards Daniel. "Shoot him," he hissed, still holding Kashoku close.

The words weren't even all the way out of his mouth before Daniel spun and tackled the man behind him in a fight for the P-90. Kashoku twisted in Ralis's grip and raked her nails down the side of his face, wincing as he gave a sharp pull at her hair and backhanded her. But Kashoku had been expecting the strike and threw her body into the force that was knocking her to the ground, firing a shot at both Ralis and the second man the moment she was down. Ralis managed to shield himself in time, but the other man was not as fast and took the bullet straight in the shoulder.

Behind his shield, Ralis let his gaze drift to where Daniel had managed to disarm the first man and was holding him at gunpoint. Sending a lazy smirk to Kashoku, he began to prepare a black magic spell only to cut it off as he noticed that their fight had caught unwanted attention. It was faint, but he could definitely hear someone making their way towards them at a swift speed.

"Shall we continue this some other time, Kash?" Ralis suggested civilly as he lowered his shield.

"I'd rather not," Kashoku said, keeping her gun trained on him. "Get lost, Ralis."

Ralis chuckled as he wiped blood off of his lip. "Wonderful. It'll be a date then." Without even a glance at the two men he'd come with, Ralis strode off into the woods, though not before tossing Daniel a look that promised something unpleasant for the next time they met.

Kashoku shifted her eyes to the remaining men. "Well what are you waiting for?" she asked sharply. "Get going!"

They had just made it almost out of sight when Kage came upon Daniel and Kashoku. Kashoku smiled at her friend and lowered her guns wearily. "Hey, Kage."

"Don't 'hey, Kage' me," she snapped. "Where the hell did Ralis go?"

"He's gone," Daniel said as he climbed to his feet. "You just missed him and his friends."

"Damn it! Are you at least alright?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah, I'm fin-"

"I was speaking to Kashy, _not_ you. As if I give a damn about your health."

Kashoku sighed but climbed to her feet with a smile thrown at Daniel. "I'm fine, Kage. Just a bit exhausted."

"Your face is all red." Kage frowned. "Don't tell me you let that asshole hit you."

"Does it really matter? What's passed has passed. I just want to get back to _Wing_ and rest a little."

Kage wasn't happy but she let her friend off the hook. That didn't mean she wasn't going to kick some serious ass the next time she saw Ralis though. "One little scuffle and you have to rest. You've gotten so fucking soft since you quite sphere hunting, Kashy. Come on, let's go."

As they all headed back towards _Wing_, Kashoku glanced over to Daniel and touched his arm slightly. "Daniel?"

"Hm?"

Kashoku hesitated a moment before speaking. "I'm sorry."

"Not your fault that guy was a complete-,"

"I meant about earlier," Kashoku corrected.

Daniel gave her a confused look, glancing at Kage to see if she was listening. Satisfied that the woman was involved enough in her thoughts and mutterings to give them a bit of privacy, he responded. "I'm not sure that I'm following…"

"I'm not saying no, but I'm not saying yes, either. We'll just take it day by day, and what happens happens."

Daniel forgot he was supposed to be walking and just stared. "Are you sure?"

Kashoku reached out for his hand and tugged him along. "Now you're backing out?"

"No, not at all. I'm just surprised… What changed your mind?"

"Ralis, I suppose," Kashoku admitted. "Seeing him again… It reminded me that I can't just assume everything will end up like that did. Also, I wasn't lying when I said what I did to him." She gave Daniel a mischievous look. "The sex really was a good trade. It would be a shame to pass up on that so soon, especially when there are many more things I can give your world."

As Daniel's face brightened in embarrassment, Kashoku started laughing and that was exactly how O'Neill and Teal'c found them five minutes later. Kage stormed on ahead once they reunited, unable to stand the group any longer.

"Are you two alright?" Carter asked as they came upon her at the edge of the forest.

"We're fine," Daniel reassured her. "Is Ralis's airship still here?"

"You actually just missed them leaving."

Kashoku smiled. "Kage must have been disappointed."

"I didn't even try to talk to her actually," the other woman confessed.

"A good strategy when dealing with Kage," O'Neill nodded. After her little trick with the restraint, he was thinking about employing that strategy a lot more often around her.

"After we rest for a bit, our next stop is the Calm Lands," Kashoku mentioned as they made to board Wing. "Kage should be a bit nicer while we're there."

"Oh goodie," O'Neill said unenthusiastically. "'Only half the bitch of the original.' I can't wait."

As it turned out, Kage actually wasn't as unbearable in the Calm Lands as she had been everywhere else. Apparently when the topic was something she liked – O'Neill had compiled the list thus far as alcohol, fighting, and gambling – she was just the tiniest bit more agreeable. It was good enough for SG-1.

Due mostly to Kashoku's insistence, the next stop was Mount Gagazet, home of blue-furred, lion-like creatures known as Ronso, and its hot springs. The team took one look at the snowy mountain and quickly did what they could to ensure what warmth they'd get out of their SGC uniforms. It wasn't much though considering that the uniforms were designed for moderately hot weather, not cold.

"How far up are the hot springs?" O'Neill asked, trying to keep his teeth from chattering.

"They're at the top with the Ronso Sacred Grounds," Kashoku said. "Don't worry; it'll get warmer the farther up we go."

Carter furrowed her brows. "Don't you mean colder?"

Kashoku shook her head. "No, I know it sounds weird, but it honestly gets warmer the farther up the mountain you go."

"Well that's good to know."

Still, despite the gradually warming weather, Kage and Kashoku had both changed dresses to their Trainer outfits for the added warmth by the time the group came across the Ronso. O'Neill let out a low whistle that was lost in the wind as the team got an eye-full of the beings; they could give Teal'c a run for his money in the Big and Strong department. While Kage and SG-1 hung back a little, Kashoku walked straight up to the Ronso in the center of the group and bowed. "Kimahri, I request passage through Mt. Gagazet with my friends, Kage Yamino and the warriors from Earth."

"Kashoku need no permission from Kimahri to pass through mountain. Kashoku always welcome here." The Ronso spoke in a heavy voice.

Kashoku smiled. "Thank you, Kimahri." She motioned for the others to join her. "This is Kimahri, the Ronso Elder. He was also one of Yuna's Guardians. Kimahri, this is Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter, Teal'c, and Daniel Jackson, and of course you know Kage."

"Kimahri is pleased to meet you all. Kimahri wishes safe journey for all."

"Is it okay if we stop by the Hot Springs too?" Kashoku asked.

"Kashoku is welcome to go wherever Kashoku wishes on mountain," Kimahri said.

"We should just skip the Springs, Kashy," Kage said as they continued up the mountain. "There's no point in going since they," she jerked her thumb towards SG-1, "probably didn't bring anything to wear. They've had the same clothes on since they got here."

Carter nodded a little as Kashoku looked back to consider them. "She's got a point. I only packed for a typical week-long mission."

"And I doubt you want us to go in the buff," O'Neill said.

"I'm sorry, I didn't even consider that," Kashoku apologized. "Do you still want to see them?"

"Considering it's just hot water in a hole in the ground, I say no," Kage decided. "Let's just go to Zanarkand already."

"It's not your decision, Kage," Kashoku chided. She looked expectantly at SG-1.

"Doesn't really matter," O'Neill shrugged after glancing at his teammates. "You're the guide."

"Well then-"

"Zan-ark-and!" Kage stressed right in Kashoku's ear.

"Kage!"

"What? They're just hot springs! No one cares so I don't see the problem in moving on."

"Fine! We'll head to Zanarkand." Kashoku sighed and raked her hair back with her hand. "To the city that never sleeps."

The group arrived at Zanarkand not long after the sun set but already the parties were going hard. Everywhere they looked, something wild and crazy was going on at the highest volume possible. Daniel stared around with a mixture of fascination and wariness while Carter was eyeing a few places with interest. Teal'c barely batted an eye at his surroundings and O'Neill…

O'Neill sighed. He really needed a beer, or Spira's closest equivalent.

"Since you were so eager to come, Kage, why don't you lead the way," Kashoku suggested tiredly. She was exhausted from a combination of last night and having to deal with Kage, Ralis, and Daniel one after the other. The dutiful host needed a break.

Kage smirked. "Gladly. There's a pretty good club just a few buildings up – decent music, crazy crowd, kick-ass alcohol. If there aren't any complaints," and didn't her expression just damn anyone who considered it, "we can go there."

Having nothing to lose, SG-1 agreed.

"We've only got about an hour to kill before the blitzball game though," Kashoku reminded them, "so don't drink _too_ much."

Kage frowned. "What game?"

"The one here tonight..."

"Kashy, what the hell! That game has been sold out for weeks. No way you're getting these guys in there without tickets!" She cut Kashoku off as the woman opened her mouth. "And don't even think for a minute I'm going to sneak them in for you!"

"Kage-"

"Hell. No. I'm not dealing with this right now. What I _am_ going to go do is get drunk off my ass and pretend the gateway led to a horde of treasure like I wanted. You can join me if you want; if not, see ya. Have fun with the blitzball game thing." Kage stalked down the street and slipped into a particularly loud building without a single glance back.

"Well that went well." Kashoku pouted.

"We don't have to see a game, you know," Daniel said softly.

"No, don't worry about it. I can still get you guys in." Kashoku gave him a beatific smile. "Just leave it to me. Kage was more of a fall-back plan."

"Yeah," O'Neill began as they wandered towards the club Kage had disappeared into, "I wouldn't let her hear you say that."

"Let's just go ahead towards the stadium and I'll work my magic," Kashoku suggested, changing into a dress sphere SG-1 had yet to see. There was a moment of shocked looks, but it was less than before.

"So, what exactly is blitzball?" O'Neill asked as they began to make their way towards the already bustling stadium.

"That would spoil the surprise now, wouldn't it?" Kashoku grinned.

"Is Kage coming?" Daniel asked, slightly hoping that for this one moment, however brief, he wouldn't have to deal with her.

"Mmm, not with us, anyway. I don't even know where she is at the moment. Kage likes the violence of the game just as much as anyone else, though, so I'm sure she's gotten herself into the game by other means than of our own."

"And what, exactly, _are_ our means?" O'Neill asked.

"Don't worry, it won't be anything illegal," Kashoku laughed. "Stay here; I'll go talk to one of the guards about getting in."

"I wonder how she plans on getting us in," Carter mused out loud.

"With her and Kage there's really no telling," he snorted.

"You know, Kashy hasn't done anything wrong or to annoy you," Daniel pointed out.

"Not directly," O'Neill argued, "because you have to agree that it really all comes down to her and this jealousy, overprotected-ness, _thing_ Kage has over her."

"I guess," Daniel mumbled, believing that really it was just the fact Kage was a nuisance.

It didn't take long for Kashoku to hurry her way back towards SG-1 with a grin plastered on her face. "See! I told you I could get us in with no problem! Come on! It'll be hard enough finding a place. I'm hoping we can find the Gullwings, but we'll be lucky in the masses of people."

"Wait, how did you get us in?" Daniel asked as Kashoku as he bounded off after her.

"I made a trade," she shrugged.

O'Neill raised an eyebrow at his friend, "Any idea what _that_ means?"

"Nope," Daniel shook his head.

It was obvious immediately when they had made it inside the crowded and boasting stadium. It was set up much like a football stadium, but the ambiance was completely different. It reminded Daniel of a concert or a rave setting. It was dark, which he didn't understand at a sporting event, and there were laser lights all over the place. In actuality, it was much like when Kashoku gave her performance in Luca, save for the large clear globe in the center of the stadium. He wondered if that was the 'playing field'.

"Kashy!"

Kashy turned and grinned widely as she returned Rikku's wave. "Hey! Oh, good. I'm glad we found them. Now you all won't be alone."

"Alone? Are you leaving?" Daniel frowned.

"Sort of," Kashoku smile was almost a playful smirk. "I'll be back after half-time. Until then, you can get the Gullwings to help you with any questions you have on the game."

"But, hey!" Daniel called but Kashoku had already dashed off.

"You need to work on keeping hold of your catches there, Danny," Jack said with a comforting pat on the shoulder.

Daniel huffed but didn't let it get the best of him as he followed up the stands to where the Gullwings were. "Any idea where Kashy went off to?"

"Nope," Rikku shrugged through her excitement. "But I do know this is gonna be one heck of a game! I think it's about to start! Look!" She pointed to the sphere as water began to poor into it rapidly.

O'Neill raised an eyebrow. "Water?"

"Blitzball is played underwater," Yuna mentioned.

"Whoa, wait. Like, completely underwater?"

"Un," Yuna nodded. "Each quarter is five minutes long. As you can tell, it's not exactly an easy sport to partake in. It takes a lot of training."

"You mean they hold their breaths for all five minutes?" Carter asked. Even she was astonished by this.

"Yes. That is why the game only lasts twenty minutes total. It takes a lot out on you."

"So, what do you do under the water?" Daniel asked.

"Easier to watch then to tell," Rikku giggled as the players began take seats at the top benches of the water, legs the only thing submerged.

The fans began to scream louder the closer the water got to the top of the sphere. The lights caused the liquid to glow all sorts of neon colors as they danced through the stadium. Suddenly everything went silent as the water stopped. The players stood on the benches at the top of the water before diving in towards the center where three platforms had risen with a ball on the center one. A player from each team took their places on the opposing platforms, setting up much like the opening of a basketball game. A timer appeared on all the screens.

"3," the crowd began to chant, "2, 1, BLITZ OFF!" The ball shot up into the water and the players dashed to fight for possession over the blue object.

"It's like underwater soccer," Daniel mused out loud, both shocked and impressed by the severely taxing sport. "It must take an amazing amount of strength and endurance for this kind of thing."

Yuna nodded, "People train for years for this. But I think that's what makes it so exciting. Only the best of the best really can play. Any child can just kick the ball around at the beach, but only a select few will ever play the real thing."

"Holy crap," O'Neill mused as he watched two players slam up against the sphere fighting for the ball.

"Yunie, that's Tidus!" Rikku pointed worriedly, but it wasn't long before the summoner's husband had violently punched his opponent in the face for possession of the ball. "Alright Tidus! Wahoo!"

"Ralis," Daniel muttered as he realized who the other man was.

"Know him?" Paine asked, speaking out of her silence.

"We've been acquainted," he frowned.

"Ass," she said simply.

"Glad it's a mutual feeling for everyone."

"Damn," O'Neill cringed slightly as red began to mix into water. "I love this sport already! Are there no rules?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Yuna laughed. "Don't worry; no one has ever died before."

"Bummer. It's not a real sport, then."

Halftime came quicker than SG-1 was used to when it came to sports, with a score of 2 to 1, the Besaid Aurochs – Tidus' team – in the lead. An unexpected surprise was in store for not only SG-1, but the entire stadium as a platform was placed on top of the sphere and Kashoku appeared smiling.

"Ikuze, Zanarkand!" She shouted into her microphone.

"Ah, well, I guess our question has been answered," O'Neill remarked. "She does have the crowd; you have to give her that."

"Among other things, sir," Carter grinned mischievously as she watched Daniel.

"Oh, yes," O'Neill smirked, "at least the total bitch isn't here to witness it."

"I heard my name!" Kage griped as she took what should have been Kashoku's saved seat.

"Then you should have also heard we don't want you!" O'Neill groaned.

"I'd watch it if I were you. Kashoku isn't here right now to catch me arguing with you. I've got at least the next 2 minutes to say whatever I want," Kage smirked.

"Not really," Yuna began protesting, "because I'll just tell her what you said."

"You are such a fucking suck up, Yuna," Kage snorted.

"Mm, I guess so."

It wasn't long before Kashoku had disappeared from stage and made her way back to SG-1. "Are you enjoying the game so far?"

"It's not what I expected, but it lives up to all the violence I was promised," O'Neill grinned.

Kashoku laughed, "I'm glad, then."

The second half was filled with just as much, if not more, violence than the first as the two rival teams battled it out. In the end, the Aurochs were victorious by a last minute goal. The fans were mixed in their reactions, and many fights ensued but that was typical among the hardcore fans of blitzball.

"So what's next?" O'Neill asked as they filed out of the stadium careful to avoid getting in the middle of fan brawls.

Kage smirked at him, answering before Kashoku could. "Absolutely nothing. The tour is over. Now get the hell off our planet."

"I don't know, I think I feel like staying longer," O'Neill smirked back. Now that they were almost rid of one another, neither really cared what the other said.

"I guess we should be getting you back to your planet," Kashoku said reluctantly. "Would you prefer to stay the night and we'll take you back in the morning, or do you want to go now?"

O'Neill puffed his cheeks and blew out some air as he thought. "We should probably go ahead and return. The Pentagon is probably driving Hammond nuts wondering how the alliance proposal went."

Kashoku nodded. She was disappointed with the answer, but she understood that they were needed on their planet. She just wished that she could have had another night of freedom, and another night to spend with Daniel.

The flight went by entirely too quickly and they were outside the Cactaur cave before she knew it. Kashoku held on to Daniel's hand as the six of them made their way through the pitch black cave, starting to feel the loss even before he was gone. A slight squeeze of her hand, and she looked up to see the cave widening. They'd reached the chamber with the Stargate.

"Sir, could you shine some more light on the DHD?" Carter had taken the task of dialing up the gate in order to give Daniel a bit more time to say goodbye.

Curious despite herself, Kage wandered over to watch what the woman was doing, and the rest of SG-1 drifted pointedly away from the secret lovers. Daniel smiled down at Kashoku, the flashlight's beam just touching his lips. "I'm going to talk to the General about helping SG-9 out here."

"I know."

"I will come back," he promised. "If it's not to work on the treaty, I'll visit." Daniel's left hand drifted up to cup her cheek and he leaned down to give her a last kiss. "We'll make this work," he whispered, just as the wormhole punched into the room and receded.

She couldn't help it. For the first time, Kashoku really believed it.

"Ja matta."

~*~

"Kashoku! What the hell are you doing?! Stop staring into space when you're supposed to be killing fiends!"

Kashoku snapped to attention as Kage sliced through the fiend that had been about to shoot at her. She grimaced. "I'm sorry, Kage. I guess I'm just a bit distracted today."

Kage scowled heavily. "Today my ass. You've been like this since you rejoined Sereclipse. What's the deal?"

"Nothing, Kage. I'm just out of practice is all." Kashoku tacked a smile onto the end of her words and turned away. "I'm sorry, but I think I'm going to head back to _Wing_ early. You'll be okay continuing alone?"

"Yeah," Kage said as she stared at her friend's retreating back. Damn it. Now she really was worried. The other Spiran just hadn't been the same since SG-1 went back to their planet. Sure, a lot of stuff had changed – Kashoku quit singing and started sphere hunting again, a team from Earth had to be ferried to the three faction leaders and back every week or so, and Nooj and Baralai had taken a newfound interest in Kashoku – but that didn't explain why the woman's head was always up in the clouds. Even if she was just mooning over Daniel, surely Kashoku would have gotten over it by now, right?

Kage snorted. Who was she kidding? The diva probably was just thinking about the loser. Kage was starting to regret making Kashoku rejoin Sereclipse. It was nothing like the old days, and Kashoku was starting to almost get _her_ killed too.

Something needed to change. She just didn't know what.

The answer came only a few days later.

"Kage! Just who I was looking for."

Kage pierced the Spiran leader with a suspicious look as she lowered the tent flap. "You invited me here, asshole," she greeted.

Gippal grinned. "Have a seat."

Kage plopped down on the proffered chair and crossed her arms. "Alright, what do you want?"

"Couldn't I just be missing the pleasure of your company?"

A snort. "Gippal, I know you've missed me as much as I've missed you, which is not much at all. Make your point or I'm leaving."

"Fine." The leader poured himself a strong drink, grinning slightly when Kage simply took the whole bottle for her own, and settled down. "I wanted to talk to you about your impression of the Earth people."

"They're annoying," Kage said bluntly. "I thought everyone knew that."

He inclined his head. "Everyone knows you feel that way, yes. But that's not what I wanted to know."

"How are the negotiations going?"

"Pretty good. They're going to share what they find on other worlds with us, as well as a few of their own creations in exchange for the dress sphere Kashoku first gave them and additional technology and weapons."

"Sounds like a rip-off."

"Why do you say that?"

"They were too impressed with us, Gippal. The things they drew parallels to their world with were minor, and I didn't hear about a single thing they possessed that was better than any creation of our own. They're weak and in a war they've done well to survive in thus far. By allying ourselves with them, we get pulled into it to save their asses."

"We were already pulled in, Kage," Gippal pointed out. "The Goa'uld came to us. We were relatively lucky that SG-1 discovered us when they did as they can provide us with vital information on them."

"Yeah, but what good will it do us? How often do you think the Goa'uld are going to mess with Spira once we blast them out of the sky a few more times? Not much. Then what do the Earth people have to offer us? Clothing ideas?" Kage sneered. "Face it, Gippal. We go through with this alliance and we'll be getting jack shit for all the help they'll want in return."

"Unfortunately, the alliance is already almost complete," Gippal informed her. "So we get what we get."

"Great," she said angrily, taking a long swig of her drink. "Nice work there, Gippal."

A steady hand on her wrist kept her from drinking any more. "Come now, Kage, you don't really think I'm going to leave it at that, do you?" He smiled. "You aren't the only one who sees the potential disadvantage in this alliance. And so I come to the point of this little meeting."

Kage lowered the bottle and gave him her full attention. "To make the adaptation of Spiran technology to Earth technology smoother, I proposed sending someone of our world to Earth with the schematics. The idea was very warmly embraced by the Earth leaders. The only problem we've had thus far is picking who to send."

"Let me guess, you want me to go?" Kage asked sarcastically.

"Actually, yeah."

"I don't think so, Gippal. I've already had all the encounters with Earth people that I can stand without hurting someone; the people just piss me off. Trust me when I say that sending me would be a bad idea."

Gippal laughed. "Kage, _everyone_ pisses you off. Face it, you're an ornery bitch." He leaned back just in time to miss the bottle swiped at his face.

"Seriously, Gippal, I'm not going," Kage finalized.

"Being the leader of the Machine Faction, which you are a part of, I say you are. SG-9 is leaving in an hour."

"You know I don't listen to orders, so why bother holding your title over me?"

"Look, Kage, it's simple. Just go to the planet, hang around a while, and if it ever looks like we're getting cheated… Do your thing."

Kage lifted a brow. "Which 'thing' would we be talking about? Creating chaos and hurting people or stealing shit?"

Gippal smiled thinly. "Agree to go, and I'll leave that up to you."

"And of course," Kage began with a roll of her eyes, "any blame would fall strictly on me once complaints got back to Spira?"

"Only if I can't manipulate them."

"Hm…" Kage drummed her nails on the table, making a show of considering the idea. Sure, it seemed like it could be a little fun, but Gippal had a habit of making things sound better than they really would be, especially when it was for a job he didn't want to do. Chances were Kage would have to stay longer and put up with more shit than she'd like all for little reward. Grudgingly, she admitted that tempting as the idea of punching Daniel or O'Neill in the face was, it wasn't really worth it.

And then Gippal pulled out the big guns.

"By the way, Baralai and Nooj have already chosen Kashoku as their representative. She accepted about a week ago."

_Say what_?

"Oh." Gippal smiled innocently. "Guess she didn't tell you."

~*~

"Daniel, would you _relax_ already? You're wearing a hole in the floor."

"Why would Kinsey be coming, Jack? What's he trying to get out of this?"

O'Neill cursed softly as the pencil he'd been balancing on his nose fell to the floor. Again. "Probably the same thing we are – technology."

Daniel ignored him. "He's just going to try and use the representatives to his advantage, to get more from them than we're already getting."

"Yeah, and that's why we're here. To stop him from being a slimy little-"

"You know, maybe he won't try anything," Carter suggested. Daniel stopped pacing, and O'Neill gave her a look. "Much," she amended. "Today is mostly a formality, a representative of the President meeting the representatives of Spira. He could just be trying to feel them out at the moment."

"Or he could be intending to manipulate them immediately," Teal'c added. He stared out the briefing room window at the Stargate. "Regardless, I do not trust his intentions."

"No one likes the bastard being here," O'Neill muttered, trying to balance the pencil again. "We'll just have to be super annoying and hope he goes away faster."

"A wish that I'm afraid won't come true, Jack."

The pencil dropped as O'Neill spun in his chair to face the speaker. "Senator! How was the flight? Enjoy the peanuts?"

Kinsey stared down at the colonel and put every bit of loathing he held for the man into his smile. "Our guests haven't arrived yet?"

"There's still a bit of time before SG-9 is scheduled to dial in," Hammond answered, shooting O'Neill a warning look to behave.

"Lovely. Why don't you tell me about the planet while we wait, Colonel?"

"Oh, it's all in the mission file, Senator. Seeing as how you have it with you, I can't imagine you need me to re-read it to you."

"I'd like to hear a first-hand account, Colonel."

Hammond gave the barest of nods and so, unhappily, O'Neill launched into an abbreviated retelling of SG-1's adventure on Spira. When the klaxons went off to signal an incoming wormhole, the relief in the room was palpable. Kinsey was right behind General Hammond as he headed for the control room and, to keep an eye on him, SG-1 quickly followed.

"Well, Jack," Kinsey spoke, "it would seem as though you and your team have done something right for once." The man was all slime now that it was only seconds from when the representatives Baralai, Nooj, and Gippal had picked were to come through the gate. "If you keep this kind of work up, there may be a future for the SGC after all."

"This treaty wasn't created to get the Spirans' weapons," Daniel said, frowning heavily. "It's to promote peace between our worlds and to learn more about one another."

Kinsey smiled thinly as the gate finished spinning. "You keep telling yourself that, Jackson."

"Receiving an IDC, sir," Sergeant Harriman said. "It's SG-9."

"Open the iris," Kinsey ordered, casting a smug look at SG-1.

"Sir?" Harriman glanced at General Hammond.

"Open the iris, son. Let's welcome our people home."

"Yes, sir."

Hammond and SG-1 made their way down to the gate room, Kinsey hot on their heels.

"I wonder who they sent," Carter murmured to Daniel.

"I don't know... Gippal, Baralai, and Nooj were still deliberating when SG-9 checked in last," Daniel spoke staring eagerly at the open wormhole.

"Great," O'Neill grumbled. "I love surprises."

A full minute passed and nothing came through.

"Where are they?" Kinsey demanded.

Walter shook his head from the control room, unsure what was delaying the team. Finally, the puddle rippled and Major Kovacek's team came through.

"Sorry about the delay, sir," Kovacek said. "We got a little held up back there."

"It's forgiven, son," Hammond said. He frowned at the still gate. "Where are the representatives?"

"That's exactly what I'd like to know," Kinsey injected smoothly, his voice hiding poison.

"They're coming, sir. There was a bit of an argument between the representatives before we came through. Tarkman's back there now waiting for them to finish."

Hammond opened his mouth to say something but a ripple of the gate silenced him.

"Oh you have _got_ to be kidding me," O'Neill bemoaned as Kage emerged from the wormhole. "I thought we were through with seeing you."

"I assure you, O'Neill, I'm just as pleased with this arrangement as you are," Kage sneered, stalking down the ramp. Behind her, the last two members of the group came through and the gate shut down.

"Kashoku," Daniel breathed, staring in shock at the Spiran waiting at the top of the ramp.

Kashoku's entire face glowed as she smiled at him. "Hello, Daniel. It's good to see you again."


	4. Chapter 4

Daniel couldn't contain his grin as Kashoku began to walk down the ramp. "How did you get them to let you come?"

The ex-singer gave a coy smile. "I didn't have to do anything but accept their own proposal."

O'Neill snorted. "How the hell did they get the Wicked Witch to accept it?"

"They blackmailed me, thank you _very_ much!" Kage scowled as she crossed her arms.

O'Neill raised an eyebrow at Kashoku, but was answered with an unsure shrug. "Ah, yes, well, as much as I really would love to sit here and chat, I'd also like to get a nagging little bug off my right shoulder."

The senator, who was standing to the right of O'Neill, sneered. "Don't count on it, Jack." The older man's attention turned to the two Spiran representatives; if you could even call them that. "Are you _all_ they sent?"

"_Excuse_ me?" Kage's brow furrowed as she gave the senator a challenging pose.

"Not to offend, but neither of you really seem like politicians."

A snort. "We're not."

"Then why are you here?"

There was a sudden silence in which everyone looked to the other waiting to see who was going to react first. It was Kashoku who answered with a cool and collected response, "I apologize if we are not what you were hoping, but politics isn't really a big thing on Spira as it seems to be here on Earth. We understand that your main concerns are our ship technology and white magic. Kage is very knowledgeable in the technology you ask of, and I am one of the best white mages around."

"We'll see," Kinsey said bluntly before turning and making his way out of the embarkation room.

Kashoku frowned at Daniel and conversed in Japanese, "He doesn't seem very nice."

"Hn," Daniel laughed slightly, "he isn't. Be careful of him. He can be very manipulative."

"Don't worry," Kage smirked, "that's what I'm here for."

"Ah," Daniel's eyes narrowed, "so the truth comes out."

"Dakedo," Kashoku began softly, but shook her head. "Never mind. I should have known better. Shall we?"

"NO!" Kage slammed her fist down on the table causing some of the glasses to tip over and spill. "You are practically asking for Spira itself at this point! You are being a selfish and greedy son of a bitch and I have yet to hear you say you'll give us anything!"

"Kage," Kashoku sighed heavily. This was far from going well.

"You know," O'Neill sat back and grinned at the senator, "I'm actually quite inclined to agree with her. Maybe if I'm lucky she'll set your sorry ass on fire."

"Colonel!" Hammond warned.

"Sorry, sir," O'Neill mumbled.

"If he doesn't watch out I will!" Kage's voice was filled with venom. "I told you, Kashy! They just want to take advantage of us!"

"No, Kage, _we_ don't. Senator Kinsey doesn't speak for us here," Daniel said, the frustration getting to him, too.

"I beg to differ, Jackson, but I speak for all of Earth in this matter," Kinsey argued. He knew that the blonde woman was beyond reason at this point, but the other still had potential to be molded. "Please, Miss Yoshiko, what we ask is truly very small in relation to what Earth could offer your people."

"That sounds all well and good, Senator, but it sounds like an empty promise at this point. You have said you will offer all these grandiose things, but I have not heard once what any of them might be. Will you not elaborate?" Kashoku asked, trying to keep her cool.

"From what I understand, your people do not have a space program," Kinsey began. "Our people have been in and traveled through space. I'm sure NASA could provide you with many things that might peak your interest in such matters."

"Big deal. If we actually cared about space we'd try and get there," Kage said, unimpressed.

"Now the Goa'uld are aware of your world. If they try and attack you by ship in orbit, what will you do?"

O'Neill wanted to laugh. As if NASA could protect anyone from a Goa'uld attack. "Oh, yes, Kinsey, NASA sure has been able to protect us from the Goa'uld alright."

"Still, don't care! If you also cared to notice, we have a gun that can take out Goa'uld ships without having to take our feet off the ground. I highly doubt they will be trying anything in the near future." Kage was very close to getting up and leaving.

Leaning forward, O'Neill folded his hands upon the table. "Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids!"

"General, you need to get your people under control!" Kinsey was obviously furious that the colonel had called his bluff.

Kashoku's head began to spin as several arguments began to ensue among everyone in the room. It seemed as if the only other person who was quiet was Teal'c. "Sumimasen," she said with a sigh and got up from her seat. She had no idea where she was headed, but in all honesty she didn't care as long as it was away from that room and those people. Yet, there was a feeling of relief as the call of a masculine "Matte kudasai!" met her ears. Thank goodness for small favors in it not being feminine.

Kashoku turned and smiled almost sadly at Daniel. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left like that, but it became too much."

"No, I understand," Daniel sighed. "Come on, this way." The archaeologist silently led her to the elevator and then to his small and messy lab. There were hundreds of papers scattered on his desk that he hadn't finished, or hadn't even started, looking at.

"Is this where you work?" Kashoku asked as he closed the door for privacy.

"More or less."

Her eyes were immediately drawn to the many artifacts resting on shelves. She bent over to get a closer look at a miniature statue. "Are all of these artifacts from your world?"

"Yes."

"There are so many! And all of them are so different. I wish…" Her small voice trailed off in realization that her wish was too foolish to even voice out loud.

"You wish what?" Daniel asked curiously.

Kashoku smiled softly as she moved down the line to look at the other artifacts. "The knowledge you could offer of the many cultures of your world would be enough for me to offer everything I could of Spira. I just wish it was good enough for everyone else."

Daniel returned her smile as he lowered his head briefly. "I could tell you many things anyway, you know."

Kashoku turned. "It would not be a fair trade." Taking a seat she laid her arms on the desk and didn't make eye contact with Daniel as she spoke, "I do not trust him."

"I'd hope not," Daniel responded honestly.

"Then why is it you chose him as your representative? Why not you? This would have been done hours ago, then."

"It's not our place to make that decision, unfortunately."

"He's very good at being deceitful. I think I almost found myself being fooled here and again by his promises."

"Well," Daniel said as he joined her, "you had it right when you called them empty, because that's exactly what they are."

"Un." Kashoku sighed. "What are we going to do then? I have no wish to continue dealing with your senator, and I think Kage would sooner kill him than accept any offer."

"Oh, that would just put a clincher on things."

"Hm?"

"Kinsey hates SG-1 just about as much as Kage hates me, if not more," Daniel mentioned.

Kashoku cringed. "That is a very powerful level of hate."

"_Yeah_, really, you have no idea." Daniel thought of the many times Kinsey had tried to shut down the SGC and frame their team in attempts to gain control. If the senator ever did gain control, it would be a disaster for all of Earth.

"Why does he hate you so much?"

"For the same reasons Kage doesn't like your ways of negotiating. Kinsey only cares about weapons and big explosives, but we rarely get any. In fact, you could say we haven't gotten any at all. We just want to make friends with people – alliances – and share culture and knowledge, and if weapons come out of it, then fine, but I don't think that should be the main objective."

Kashoku couldn't help but laugh.

Daniel arched an eyebrow. "What's so funny?"

"Everything. We're so different, yet so alike." She propped her chin on a hand and sighed. "I've missed you."

"I tried to see you," Daniel said softly, afraid the conversation was going in a bad direction, "but you were off with Kage, and I had no way of contacting you."

Kashoku giggled slightly at his nervous and rushed response. "I'm not blaming you, Daniel. I know you tried, and that means so much to me. I was really looking forward to this meeting, to spend time with you, but it's kind of going downhill fast."

"I feel like it's a no win situation. You can't accept Kinsey's proposal. He really has nothing to offer you in return, but–"

"But if we don't, it could lead to very bad things for you and SG-1."

"Well, I don't think it would be any worse than usual, but it certainly wouldn't help things. It would really be his own fault, but I'm sure he'd find ways to place the blame on us."

"Is he one of your planet's ultimate rulers? I'm quite confused with your politics."

"Oh, no! Thank god. No, he is just the leader of state. We don't have a leader for our entire world like Spira does. Earth is too big and too divided for that. There is a main leader for every country and they are the 'ultimate rulers', if you will."

"How many countries are there on Earth?"

"Uh, almost 200, depending on what exactly you classify a country."

"That's so many," Kashoku breathed impressed. "But, then, if he is not your ultimate ruler, he would have no power to punish you. He would have to convince your leader of your wrongdoings and I would find that hard to do."

"Not as hard as you might like. Politicians are trained to be manipulative and deceiving on our world. If we had nothing to show for this alliance, I'm sure it would be enough to convince the President that it was our fault."

Kashoku frowned and thought silently to herself for several moments while Daniel shuffled through some papers on his desk and read. Then an idea hit her. "Do you think your ruler would punish you if you got something out of this alliance, even if it wasn't what Senator Kinsey wanted?"

Daniel lifted his head, thinking about what Kashoku was suggesting. "If it was something important enough, maybe not. It's too hard to tell though. I guess we wouldn't know without asking the President himself."

"Can you not simply do that, then?" Kashoku wondered. "I have given you the means to use white magic. I can teach your doctors how to use it. Would that not make him happy?"

"I think it would," Daniel nodded. "There are means of General Hammond contacting the President over Kinsey, but what could we possibly offer that you and Kage could agree on?"

Kashoku turned her head towards him and smiled. "If it meant saving your friends and the lives of the people who protect you here at the SGC, I would do it for free."

"I don't think I could let you do it for free." Daniel put his hand at the base of her neck and pulled her in for a kiss.

Kashoku grinned as he pulled away. "I think I may be getting more than I bargained for."

Daniel laughed but then sighed. "I just don't see how this will work. I could think of a million things you would agree to, but nothing Kage would go for."

Kashoku bit at her lip in contemplation. "Well. Technically, Kage isn't one of the representatives. Not really."

Daniel frowned. "Then why is she here?"

"More or less as a bodyguard," She shrugged sheepishly Nooj and Baralai told me that I was the final decision maker. They just humored Kage."

Daniel's eyes went wide before a wave of relief washed over him. "Well this makes things a lot easier. Well, it's not much now, but we can offer Spira all the knowledge we have on the races we have encountered on our travels so that they know what is out there. We would also promise to share any technology we acquire with your people in the future."

"I know that Nooj and Baralai would agree to these terms," Kashoku stated firmly. "I guess now we just have to figure out how to make it official."

Kinsey was not happy with having to wait for SG-1 and the representatives to arrive. It was obvious that at least the one who listened to what he said had already been manipulated by SG-1; Jackson without a doubt. The other – well, there was no reasoning with her harmful intentions. When everyone began to file back into the room, he knew it was time to take matters into his own hands for sure. Standing, he tried to wipe the smug look from his face and replace it with a smile. "I am sorry if I overwhelmed you, Miss Yoshiko. Perhaps we should start again."

Kashoku let everyone file into place and take a seat. She did not. "I'm sorry, Senator, but my answer to that question would have to be a no." There was a silent gasp throughout the room. The only one who didn't have a shocked look on their faces was Daniel.

Kinsey was flabbergasted. It actually took him time to find a response. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I believe you heard me just fine." Kashoku stated firmly. "Your demands, sir, are beyond my desire to admit. I do not feel that what you have offered, which by my memory is nothing, even comes close to what we are offering your own people. I do wish that our peoples can still become allies, but not in this manner. I have something I do believe to be of value to you and your people and we require very little in return at this point. I have been informed that were your President to hear my terms he would accept."

Kage's mouth dropped, but her shock quickly turned to anger as she spoke to her friend in Japanese. "What the fuck are you going on about? I didn't agree to shit!"

"Later," Kashoku huffed a response.

"General, I will not have your people disrespecting me in such a manner!" Kinsey was fuming.

"I'm sorry, Senator, but we cannot force her to agree to your offer. I know that the President would rather us deal straight with you, but I would like to hear Kashoku's offer and take it up with him myself."

"I know the lot of you are up to something, and rest assured that the President will hear of your deceit," Kinsey stood and slammed his papers down before picking them up again to leave. "Don't think this is the end of this, Jackson." Kinsey leaned forward on the table to make his point quite clear. "You've blown your only chance at keeping this program alive. I _will_ make sure this place is shut down."

"Do you honestly think you are the least bit threatening?" Kage snorted

Kinsey glared at her, face red. "If I were you, I'd watch your mouth. I could do to you things you couldn't even dream of."

"Oh, I'll take you up on that," Kage stood as she ignited a flame in her hand. "Give me your best shot!"

There was a short glimpse of fear in Kinsey's eyes that any would miss if they had blinked. He began for the door until he stopped and looked directly into Kashoku's eyes. "You should have accepted my offer. I promise you, you will regret it."

"Senator, get the hell off my base!" General Hammond had had enough. Threatening SG 1 was one thing, but to insult guests of another planet was beyond even his patience. "Sergeant, please escort Senator Kinsey off my base."

"Yes, sir," the sergeant gave a curt nod and led the senator out of the room.

When O'Neill was sure that the senator was out of hearing range he turned to everyone and grinned. "Anyone else enjoy that?"

"I'm very sorry, General, if I put you and your people in a bad position, but I felt it was the only way to ensure Spira was not taken advantage of. I must admit that I was unprepared for this situation." Finally she took a seat hesitantly.

"If we had known it was going to be you and Kage coming, we would have warned you," Carter said apologetically.

"It's alright," Kashoku smiled softly. "We've made do."

"Made do my ass," Kage snorted. "I haven't seen or heard of anything from this crap ass planet that I want! And what the hell are you planning to give them, huh?"

Kashoku sighed and reached into the belt of her half-skirt and pulled out a glowing orange sphere.

Kage's blue eyes grew wide with anger. "YOU DID NOT!" Almost immediately she went to grab the sphere but Kashoku was able to move quick enough to hide the valuable object. "Are you fucking kidding me, Kashoku?!"

"No, I'm not kidding! You have no political standing in this, anyway! Gippal made sure you came along just to keep me safe."

"I will fucking kill you both!" She hissed in Japanese.

"Is that what I think it is?" O'Neill asked carefully.

"I will teach Dr. Fraiser and her staff to use white magic," Kashoku nodded in confirmation.

"Are you sure?" Hammond asked. "What is it you want in return?"

"You will find, General, that we are not so different. We are all just trying to learn about the universe. You will provide us with knowledge of races and technologies you encounter and we will be allies on the battlefield should the need arise."

Kage leaned in so that she was in Kashoku's face. "You. Are. Kidding. Me. You are _not_ trading that sphere just so they can give us a history lesson!"

"I am," Kashoku said defiantly. "This was well within Nooj and Baralai's terms of agreement."

"KASHOKU!" Kage was furious.

Kashoku smiled as if there wasn't a deranged beast sitting next to her. "If there is still time in your day, I would like to begin teaching Dr. Fraiser and her staff how to use the sphere. It takes a long time to begin learning, let alone mastering the sphere."

"Are you sure? I haven't even spoken with the President, yet," Hammond said.

"I am sure he will agree. Daniel?" Kashoku stood and smiled in his direction.

"Right, this way." Daniel was quick to stand and lead Kashoku out of the room before Kage was able to come after him for what he had done.

"You really are going to teach us how to use your magic?" Dr. Janet Fraiser had seen many things in her time at the SGC, but none could have ever prepared her for the wonders that Kashoku's magic had done in the ways of the medical field.

"To the best of my abilities," Kashoku smiled. "This will take a long time. You'll have to have patience. You'll be able to cure small things right away, but major wounds and other ailments will take a lot of work." Taking out the glowing sphere she placed it on the table. "When each of you first uses a power using the sphere, you will leave an imprint that will mark what abilities you have and haven't learned."

"So we can't all be learning it at the same time," Fraiser noted with some sound of disappointment.

Kashoku smiled. "Not true. That's what these are for," she held up her hand with her ring on it. "I can transfer the imprint to rings which will allow you to learn the abilities without actually using the sphere like I am with my Gunner at the moment. The White Mage sphere is one of the few that can really allow for this to occur."

"Why is that?" one of the assistants asked.

"Well, say I wanted to use a power associated with my Gunner sphere, but I had no gun. Doesn't really work, does it? White, black, and some blue magic aren't associated with any particular weapon so you can use them without the aid of the sphere. However, in many cases it is proven that the magic is more powerful when used in association with the sphere, but I don't really find too much of a difference unless you are working with some extreme levels of magic, which you very well may often here at the SGC."

"What's the extent of damage that the most experienced white mage can heal?" Daniel asked curiously.

"I can't give an answer to that really," Kashoku apologized. "I've never had to heal any extreme amounts of injury. Since Sin's defeat, there hasn't been a whole lot of death caused by wounds except within the underground gangs, but I wouldn't really know about that. The most I've had to deal with is some serious scrapes and bruises from Kage's fights."

"Well, we know you can cure a staff blast and that's valuable enough considering the amount of Jaffa we encounter," Carter pointed out.

Kashoku nodded, "Mm. Now, you can cast a lower level spell more than once to help cure up a wound that a larger spell could take care of once, but this brings up the most important thing to know about magic. Magic absorbs energy. If you try and use too much magic at once you'll drain too much energy. It can lead to death."

"Wow, that is some side effect," Fraiser murmured.

"Well, we have seen people collapse after using a Goa'uld hand device," Daniel pointed out. "I can see if you went too far that might happen."

"It's not something to be abused. As long as you know your limits, you will be fine. As soon as you start to feel tired, stop. At first you will find it takes a large amount of energy to cast even the smallest spell, but as you begin to learn more abilities, the more tolerance you will have."

"What kind of abilities are we talking here? Specifically," Carter asked.

"You'll start off with two abilities: Pray and Cure. These are the lowest spells. Pray is what you will use to train as it doesn't use energy. In fact, Pray _gives_ you a sort of energy. The sort of energy Pray gives you, though, isn't the kind that can be used for magic. It's more of a mental pick-me-up, if that makes sense?"

"A calorie free caffeine boost. That could come in handy," Fraiser noted.

"Cure will be able to take care of your very small injuries: paper cuts, small scrapes, and minor bruises. For slightly more severe wounds, even if you do not have the ability to completely cure it, it's still good to cast Cure as it can help prevent infections. Your next levels of magic learned are mainly your protection spells and then Esuna. Esuna can rid poisons from the system–"

"You're joking," Daniel said, almost shocked.

Kashoku laughed. "No. It has also been known to cure temporary blindness."

"My god," Fraiser breathed, almost in a trance as Kashoku spoke about the wonders of white magic. "This is all just too good to be true."

"I assure you, it's not. The next few spells aren't really useful to you and your doctors here, but more so in the field. Protect, Shell, and Dispel are all your protection spells. Protection protects you against physical powers such as gun fire and the Jaffa staff blasts for a certain amount of time. The stronger the attack, the quicker the shield disintegrates."

"That's the blue spell you cast when the Jaffa appeared?" Daniel inquired.

"Yes. Shell protects you from other magical attacks. Dispel can come in real handy when battling another white mage. It will remove any Protect or Shell spells that the enemy has cast upon themselves."

"That would be an interesting battle. It could go back and forth all day." Daniel pondered at the thought.

"That's when it comes down to who has the most energy to keep casting spells. The more experienced mage will win that battle every time; there's no luck. Now, your next level spell will be Cura, which will heal deeper cuts, burns, bigger bruises, sprained ankles, some fractured bones, and any injuries along those lines. Your final spell will be Curaga, which is the most powerful healing spell. As far as we know, it can cure broken bones and a Jaffa staff blast. It can close up a wound that would also normally need stitches."

"Alright, so we know what everything does, but how exactly do we go about casting these spells?" Fraiser asked, her face contorted in deep thought with everything that had been thrown at her.

"Right." Kashoku reached into her belt and pulled out another sphere. "Another important note to take is that if you lose your sphere another White Mage sphere will not hold your marker, so you've lost all your powers and must start again. This is my sphere." With a burst of white feathers her outfit changed into her robe.

The doctors all blinked and looked slightly uncomfortable. Fraiser spoke up for all of them, "Will we really have to wear that?"

Kashoku laughed. "Daniel told me of the fashion differences and how it might make you uncomfortable. You will only have to wear it once; to put the marker, unless you need the power boost. At the same time, everyone's outfit is different based on their personality and their fashion likes and dislikes. I'm quite sure that your own outfits will be something more towards your tastes."

"Well, that's good to know," she smiled politely.

"Make sure you concentrate on the spell you are trying to cast, and say it out loud if you need to. You probably will have to for a while before you can cast it just by thinking about it. Like this." Before anyone had the time to blink, a green light shot out from the center of Dr. Fraiser like a firework before glittering away.

Fraiser gasped. "Oh my god. That was incredible. What did you cast? I feel like I've just had five cups of coffee!"

"A simple Pray spell, Doctor. It does wonders for the body," Kashoku smiled, her satisfaction growing at their honest thanks.

"I'll say!"

"Think of all the coffee we'll have left over with Daniel not drinking it all," Carter teased.

"Hey," Daniel moaned, "coffee and I have been best friends since for– Wow."

Kashoku giggled, "You should just ask, you know."

"You have one week to impress me, Colonel." Kage made herself comfortable on the Tau'ri bed and crossed her arms.

"Kage, trying to impress you could take a life-time," O'Neill responded.

"Awww, then I guess you are shit out of luck. Not my problem. Nothing would make me happier than to cut off all deals with you and your people." If only she even had the ability. She was still fuming from the news Kashoku had delivered earlier, but it honestly wasn't surprising. It was just like all those assholes to do that.

"Oh, I'm _quite_ sure about that. At least for the incredibly _long_ amount of time that you are staying here, stay here. Lock yourself up in this room and don't bother anyone," O'Neill spoke.

"I have nothing to say to any of you so that won't be a problem as long as I get decent food."

"You'll probably think all of it is poison."

"I wouldn't be surprised if it is."

"Oh, geez," O'Neill sighed with an added eye-roll.

"I do believe, O'Neill," Teal'c began, "that it is impossible to reason with Kage Yamino."

"Yeah," He sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Wanna go get some lunch?"

Teal'c inclined his head. "I would enjoy a meal, O'Neill."

"Hey, I want some food!" Kage butted in, sitting up on the bed. She hadn't had anything to eat in almost a full day and she was starving.

"Poison, remember?" O'Neill said with a hidden grin as he closed the door behind him.

"Fucking asshole!" Kage took a pillow and jammed it over her face. This planet sucked.

"Did you really quit singing?"

Kashoku wondered how long it would be until Daniel brought that issue up. Sighing, she took a seat on the edge of the bed in the room he had told her would be her accommodations for her time here. "I really didn't have a choice, did I? I promised her I would rejoin Sereclipse."

"Yeah, because of me," Daniel said softly as he propped himself up against the wall.

Kashoku smiled sadly. "If I hadn't made her promise, she probably would have killed you, so it was better this way."

"You really don't think…?" Daniel was very disturbed by that fact.

"She would, unfortunately," Kashoku sighed, "And there would have been little consequence for it on her part."

"You miss it."

"Of course I do. I think the people were more shocked by it though. It was so sudden. Most of them think it was so I could do things here with Earth, but I doubt any of them know the truth except for Nooj, Gippal, and Baralai."

"Well, you know, once you return to Spira she can't get to me, so you could…"

Kashoku shook her head. "No, I couldn't do that. But," She laughed, "She'll probably kick me off soon anyway."

"Why's that?"

"Ano, I guess, the few missions we went on before we came to Earth, I was a little distracted. Well, more than a little. I could have gotten us both killed on a number of occasions."

"What got you so distracted?"

"You." She smiled.

Daniel pushed himself off the wall and made his way towards Kashoku before capturing her lips in a kiss. "I guess I'll have to remain a distraction a little while longer."

Daniel wasn't surprised when he found Kashoku in the infirmary after he finished up his work. She was watching curiously as Dr. Fraiser tended to a sick patient. The archaeologist walked up next to the singer's side but didn't speak.

"It's amazing," Kashoku said simply.

"What is?"

"How advanced your culture is. Kage can't – won't – see it, but I do. Your medicines and procedures are so advanced. We have magic, yes, but without it we couldn't heal like your people could. We'd be totally lost."

"We've come a long way in our life time," Daniel agreed.

"Un. It is unfair that with all your hard work and effort, you cannot heal like we can when we have exerted no energy at all."

"That's not entirely true. You aren't born with magic. You do have to learn. And as far as I'm concerned, we have reached your level thanks to you."

She smiled at his kind words. "Perhaps. I just hope that Kage doesn't ruin it."

"Kashoku?" Dr. Fraiser politely interrupted.

"Hmm?"

"I had the time to put my marker on the sphere. Could you make a ring for me?"

"Oh, of course!" Kahoku smiled, but then paused. "I'll need an actual ring to put it on if you have one."

"I didn't think of that," Fraiser frowned. It, however, didn't take her long to discover a solution as she pulled off her wedding ring. "Will this work?"

"Are you sure, Janet?" Daniel asked, realizing what that ring meant to her as her late-husband's.

"Daniel, he was the most important thing to me in my life. The next was medicine. What better way than to have both in one place?"

"It won't hurt it," Kashoku promised as she took the ring. "I'll need you to use the sphere so I get your marker and not someone else's."

"Right," Fraiser nodded and let the sphere change her medical wear to the White Mage robes. As Kashoku had claimed, Fraiser's robes were much more towards her own tastes and were not that far off from typical medical wear.

"Okay." Kashoku pulled a chain from her belt. Taking Fraiser's ring she strung it into the chain and let it dangle. "Here we go." She touched the ring to the top of the orange sphere and waited for a few seconds before the sphere began to glow and change to a blue color while the ring sank away beneath the surface.

"Wow, it's changing," Daniel blinked as he watched the procedure closely.

"Mmhmm. It'll change back to orange when it's done. Shouldn't be long." It indeed only took a minute or so for the sphere to change back to its original state at which point Kashoku pulled the chain back out with the ring. Unlacing it she handed it to the doctor. "There you go!"

Fraiser smiled as she put the ring back on her finger. "You really have no idea what this means for us here. This magic will save so many people."

Kashoku smiled, "I'm very glad of that."

Time seemed distant as the wormhole engaged and the blue water settled into place inside the large gray ring. Kashoku had been hoping that their time on Earth would be longer than this, but the paperwork had been signed and Kage – with great convincing from Kashoku – had downloaded the SGC's database to a sphere to take back to Spira. It was as if she and Daniel really weren't meant to be together. She knew this would end up happening. The moment true happiness seemed to find its place in her life it seemed to disappear the next day. But as Kage's defiant and angry form stepped up onto the ramp in front of her, she decided that for once she should take control of her life.

"Kashoku, _let's go_," Kage snapped, noticing her distracted visage.

Kashoku partly opened her mouth to speak as she looked back to Daniel and then back to Kage again. "No."

"_What_?"

"I want to stay."


	5. Chapter 5

"This is all because of him!"

"No, it isn't! The doctors here _need_ the skills of a master white mage and I'm teaching them. This is about helping people, Kage, something you clearly can't understand."

"Oh bull," Kage hissed. "Maybe I don't shove my nose into every poor sucker's business, but I can still see when someone means to help me and when they want to help themselves."

"We've had this discussion! The Earth people are not like-!"

"I was talking about you." Kage's voice was practically dripping with derision.

"Ex_cuse_ me?"

"You heard me. All of this – this treaty, escorting them around Spira, giving them the White Mage dress sphere – this isn't about helping the Earth people, Kashoku; this is all you helping yourself. You wanted to be around Jackson, so what'd you do? Offered a tour. You wanted to see him more after he left so what'd you do? Came to Earth at the first chance. You wanted even _more_ time so what then? White Mage!

"You can make it out like your life on Spira is shit and oh it's so much better here, but keep in mind you weren't exactly making any complaints before Jackson came along! So fine, stay here since you seem to want to so badly, but don't for a fucking _minute_ act like it's because you want to help Earth! We both know you're only here because of your stupid crush." Kage paused, taking a moment to calm herself and her erratic breathing before plunging into her next words, and then the Stargate's wormhole. "Stay here, but don't even think about coming crawling back to me when this blows up in your face, Kashoku. I'm fucking sick of cleaning up all your messes and this is just another Ralis waiting to happen."

"Kage, you child!" Kashoku yelled. "You don't know anything!" The wormhole disengaged behind her words and the embarkation room fell silent.

"She doesn't know anything," Kashoku said again, her voice strung tight with anger and a hint of something else. She turned and met SG-1's stunned gaze, the group's vast presence so quiet, so heavy that Kashoku hated its weight on her and left the room without another word.

O'Neill lowered his hands where he had raised them as though to fend off any attacks. "That went well, I thought," he couldn't resist saying.

General Hammond shot a quelling look his way. "It would appear that I owe the President another phone call. In the mean time, I'd like to remind all of you that SG-1 has a mission tomorrow morning. I expect you all to be prepared for the briefing at 0700, despite any distractions our continued guest may provide."

The team let out a small chorus of affirmations and slowly began to break up, heading their separate ways for the moment. Hammond's gaze lingered on one person in particular and he sighed inwardly. There could be a lot of problems for the SGC if Kage turned out to be right about those two. It didn't bear thinking about that Senator Kinsey would have a field day if he got wind of a budding romance between Dr. Jackson and the Spiran representative, especially not now that the man was out for blood. General Hammond shook his head and made for his office. It was a gamble that could end very badly, but for now he'd let everything be.

The general perhaps would not be so willing to make that risk had he any idea of how little time Daniel would dedicate to his work that day as a result of their continued guest. After being dismissed, Daniel dutifully headed for his office to get a bit of translating done as well as a bit of preparation for the mission. His intentions were thrown out the window however when he realized how much time he spent glancing at his clock and how little time he spent working.

All he could think about was Kashoku. How was she doing? She had been pretty angry when she stormed out of the embarkation room… Would she want to see him? Daniel frowned speculatively. He'd give her a bit more time to herself, he decided, jotting down the titles of some books he needed to find. If Kashoku was still upset, he'd just see what he could do to change that. Another half hour saw him at her door, looking to do just that as she gave him a small smile. "Hey," he greeted.

"Hey."

"I brought you some books," he said, lifting the considerable stack up a bit.

"Thank you," Kashoku replied somewhat confusedly. The stack wobbled a little and she hastened to relieve a bit of his burden.

"They're about some of Earth's cultures."

"Oh." Kashoku bit her lip, feeling more than a little disappointed as her eyes drifted over the unfamiliar titles. "I thought you were going to teach me about them."

"Well, there're a lot of cultures on Earth and I thought the books might give you a bit of a head-start. That way you have an idea of the ones that interest you, and I can go more in depth with those. Plus it gives you something to do so you're not just sitting in here all day."

"What if they all interest me?"

Daniel shifted. There was just something about the quirk to Kashoku's lips when she spoke that made him acutely aware of the guard posted outside the door listening to their conversation. "Well, I have work to do right now, but afterwards we could probably pick a few to cover."

"Alright. Is there any one you'd recommend starting with?"

"Well, I thought you'd be interested in the Japanese culture on Earth so I brought several books down on that, plus one or two on other Asian cultures. You don't really have to read all of them," he hastened to point out. "You could just flip through them – or not – and if something catches your eye I'll elaborate on it later."

"Alright," Kashoku smiled. "When should I expect you?"

"Ah, would six be good?"

"Daniel, I don't exactly have anything else to do. Whenever you feel like it, you're welcome to stop by."

He wanted to kiss her, Daniel realized suddenly. There wasn't really anything special about the moment, or any reason for the urge, but he did. There was a bit of hair hanging over her left eye and he wanted to brush it to the side and kiss her and forget all about the small pile of artifacts waiting for him to look them over –

"I need to go."

Kashoku sighed, but nodded. "You have work to do."

"Yeah."

"I'll see you at six then?"

"Yeah, sure. Oh, it might be 6:30. I tend to get on a tangent with things like this, so we should probably eat first. I'll stop by the mess hall and pick up something before coming, how does that sound?"

"That's fine. Don't work yourself too hard, Daniel. You'll want to save something for me to pick over later." Kashoku winked. "I'll be sure to have plenty of topics for you to cover when you get here."

"I'll see you then, I guess." Daniel adjusted his glasses nervously and turned to head back. Kashoku's voice stopped him.

"Daniel? You still have some of the books."

"Oh! Right, of course." He pretended he didn't hear the guard snort in amusement. It was easy to forget the other man when Kashoku smiled at him that warmly, setting the rest of the pile just inside her room.

"I'll see you later."

"It's a date," he couldn't resist saying.

He was feeling the butterflies in his stomach when he left, and they were certainly still there when he returned that night around 6. He hadn't been able to concentrate on his work at all and really hoped Kashoku didn't mind his being early. At least the guard had changed so he didn't have to face that embarrassment again.

"You're early," Kashoku said as she ushered him into the room. There was no real displeasure in her words or expression over his being early, something that relieved Daniel immensely.

He carefully set down the tray of food and turned to face her. "Yeah, I think I understand now how you felt back on Spira."

"Oh?"

"Completely and utterly distracted with thoughts of you."

"And here I thought you'd come simply for scholarly reasons," Kashoku teased, standing on tiptoes to place a kiss on his lips. Daniel's hand settled on the small of her back, guiding her upwards as he sought to deepen the kiss.

"It was the intention," he said eventually.

"I got bored without you by the first book," Kashoku murmured against his lips.

"Too similar to your own culture?"

"I can't read it," She responded with amusement.

Daniel blinked before his cheeks turned red in embarrassment. "It never occurred to me that even though we could communicate verbally that you'd use a different written system."

"Some of it looks similar to ours, but-," she shrugged. "Just leaves you more of an opportunity to teach me verbally, now doesn't it?"

~*~

Three days later saw Kashoku wandering the halls of the SGC alone, having been once again kicked out of the science labs. The past few days had been busy for her, filled with meeting the many personnel of the SGC, speaking with the scientists in failed attempts to alleviate their disappointment over Kage's departure, and looking in on a few nurses as they practiced with the White Mage dress sphere. She was busy, but for the first time in a long time, she didn't feel like there was some deadline looming over her.

Instead, she was left experiencing an emotion she wasn't really used to. She was _lonely_. Kashoku had thought she understood how that felt on Spira, always surrounded by people concerned only about her fame, but the SGC showed her how she'd taken even those acquaintances for granted. Here, wherever she went there was a polite smile, but no one seemed to even care who she was beyond being nice(ish) and censoring their discussions. Which was another thing Kashoku found a little difficult to adjust to; the SGC seemed to have a lot of secrets and more often than not she returned to her room wondering what she'd gotten herself into.

At least, she reminded herself as she stepped into the safety of the infirmary, Daniel would be returning in a few hours. Then she could finally talk to someone who _wouldn't_ shoo her out the door – or in the case of one prickly scientist insult her and then ignore her until she got the hint.

"Long day?" Doctor Fraiser asked, lifting her head from an arrangement of medical instruments long enough to assess the other woman for damage.

Kashoku nodded tiredly. "Very. It's a good thing Kage did go home. She would butt heads with half of the scientists here and run right over the meeker half until there was a trail of tears and destruction in her wake."

The doctor snorted lightly. "Sounds about right from what I saw of her. Let me guess, you tried to suggest some technology that was too advanced to be built again?"

"It isn't advanced on Spira… But no, they probably could have built it. I just didn't know anything near enough about it." Kashoku bit her lip, remembering the science team's irritation when she managed to wet their appetites but failed to do anything more.

"You know, Kashoku, we've gotten by just fine these past few years with mostly ourselves to rely on." Fraiser fixed the woman with a stern look. "You don't need to push yourself to make up for Kage's decision to leave. I know the idea of a machina gun or airship may have gotten all the boys out there itching for a new toy, but one firefight and I guarantee they'll be singing a different tune about Spiran generosity. As far as I'm concerned, if we never get anything more from the Earth-Spira alliance, we'll be in your debt forever."

Kashoku shook her head. "That dress sphere would have gone to waste on Spira. It's only right that it should come to hands that need it. I just wish there was something _more_ I could do. I decided to stay here so I could help, but I feel so useless, like I'm sitting around twiddling my thumbs. None of you are having any serious difficulty working with the White Mage dress sphere, and there hasn't been a need for my skills at all…"

Fraiser smiled wryly. "I'd wait until SG-1 gets back before saying that if I were you. All of the teams get into their share of trouble, but SG-1 winds up in my infirmary more than anyone else. Personally, I think Daniel's a trouble magnet."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Kashoku laughed, easily imagining the man's curious nature getting the others into trouble. Still, she hoped they _didn't_ return in need of her level of healing.

Luckily for Kashoku, the team managed to return on schedule and in perfect health. It was a relatively simple mission, Daniel told her over dinner that night. They'd had about a day's hike to a neighboring village where they spent the rest of their time cultivating a friendship and exploring. "Not really one of our more exciting missions," he said, "but I find it more enjoyable than running from enemy fire."

"I should think so," Kashoku agreed. The idea of Daniel and his team being shot at – with not even a shield to guard their backs – didn't sit well with her at all.

"Do you have anything planned for tomorrow?" Daniel asked suddenly.

Kashoku shook her head. "Not really… I planned to try and meet some more people tomorrow but nothing urgent. The only place where I'm of any service at all is the Infirmary and Dr. Fraiser doesn't need my help. Why?"

"Just a little surprise I've been planning."

Kashoku's face lit up. "What kind of surprise?"

"A fun and educational one," Daniel replied. "And no, you won't get anything else out of me."

Kashoku pouted. There was a mischievous gleam in her eyes though, and Daniel had a feeling that he was in for an interesting night of her trying to coax it out of him.

~*~

"You know, for a guy who has so many allergies you spend a lot of time with your nose in the dust."

Daniel lifted his head from where it hovered over a magnifying glass and barely held back a sigh. "Hi, Jack."

"How's it going?"

"Fine," Daniel replied, sitting back and rubbing at the base of his nose. There really was a lot of dust on that tablet, but it was about as clean as he could get it without possibly ruining the artifact. "I'm almost done with this tablet."

"Sweet. Exactly what I wanted to hear." O'Neill waltzed the rest of the way into the room and hopped up on one side of the desk.

Daniel paused, but eventually sat up straight and turned to face his friend. If the colonel was making himself comfortable there was no way Daniel was going to get anything done until he left, which meant Kashoku was going to have to wait even longer for him. It'd be better to face the situation head on. "What do you want?"

"What makes you think I want something? Can't a guy visit his teammate when he feels like it?"

"Jack, you hate my lab. You wouldn't be in here unless you wanted something," Daniel pointed out.

"Well for your information, I _don't_ want something."

"Really?"

"Really."

"… I find that hard to believe. Why are you here?"

O'Neill shrugged, deciding to play nice for once and answer truthfully. "Just wanted to make sure some_one_ wasn't working himself too hard. You've been hard to catch lately unless we're on a mission. So, I took it upon myself to instigate a little get-together."

"A get-together?"

"Yep. Pack it up, Danny-boy, we're out of here. There's hockey and beer aplenty at my house, Carter _finally_ put down her gizmos, and Teal'c's waiting in the hall."

"I can't," Daniel sighed.

O'Neill blinked. "What?"

"I can't go."

"…Daniel. You're keeping Teal'c waiting. You just don't do that." Daniel remained unmoved and, to O'Neill's displeasure, unmoving. "Oh come on, Daniel. It's beer and hockey; when do I ever offer that? This is a once-a-lifetime deal. … Okay, once every now and then. It's not like your artifacts are going anywhere."

"It's not that."

"So I'm not being dumped for cremated cat and crusty tablets?"

"No," Daniel rolled his eyes.

"Well then, what is it?"

"I already have plans," he said carefully.

O'Neill stared. "Daniel? Having plans?" Then, before Daniel could decide whether he was offended or not, he let out a low whistle. "_Nice_. Who with?"

Daniel eyed his friend. Unfortunately for him, Jack had all the makings of a man who want to know something and Daniel wasn't likely to get out of the room with his silence in tact. There was no helping it. "Kashoku. I was going to take her out for a bit."

Jack tilted his head, genuinely confused. "That was fast," he commented.

"What?"

"The clearance to go off-base. That figures," he huffed. "It took ages to get permission for Teal'c, but one pretty alien and-"

"Kashoku hasn't got clearance," Daniel interjected. "I don't think General Hammond has even filed for it."

O'Neill, for a few blessed minutes, was silent. Then everything started tumbling down around Daniel and his short victory. "You're taking her off-base without clearance? Daniel, we have _rules_ about that in case you've forgotten. What are you thinking?"

"Kashoku is hardly a security risk, Jack." Daniel leaned against the counter and rubbed the back of his neck, trying to get rid of a knot he'd acquired earlier. "Besides, my part of the trade was teaching her about Earth cultures. I can't do that here."

"Sure you can! It's called the History Channel, Daniel, and if that fails then there's still Discovery. They'll tell her everything she could possibly want to know about practically everything that you won't talk about yourself, and the best part is it doesn't require her to step one foot outside of bounds."

"You make her sound like a prisoner."

"No, Daniel, I make her sound like every _other_ alien ally we've temporarily housed."

"I broke the rules with the Tollan, Jack. What's so bad about taking Kashoku outside?"

"Okay, one, can you hear yourself? That was an entirely different situation! Not to mention you're not exactly planning to take her on a stroll through the neighboring woods. Two, you can't just go ignoring protocol because you want to impress someone, Daniel. That kind of crap has a habit of blowing up in your face."

"It's one trip," Daniel pointed out. "I don't even know if Kashoku will stay long enough to _get_ clearance."

"So why don't you look into that as opposed to trying to sneak Kashoku out?"

Daniel opened his mouth, but the words caught between his brain and there. "Why are you so against this?" he asked finally, frustrated. He thought Jack had liked Kashoku.

"Because Daniel, Kashoku's nice but so were a lot of other people that ended up screwing us over in the end. Until we know her better, she isn't any more important than the rest of the aliens we've had stay here over the years. That thing with the Tollan was the only exception we've made in the past to the off-base clearance rule and we both know why that was. I'm sorry, but until that clearance goes through she's confined to the base."

"Fine," Daniel said, frowning deeply.

"You know I'm right about this."

"She isn't like that, Jack, but fine. I'll keep to the base."

O'Neill bit his cheek a little. "So I take it it's still just me, Carter, and Teal'c?"

"Yeah, sorry. I'm still going to hang out with Kashoku. Maybe I can find something on the History Channel."

O'Neill watched him for a few minutes before making his excuses and ducking out of the office. He wondered uneasily just what _was_ going on between Daniel and Kashoku. That is, of course, until he caught sight of Teal'c. Then his thoughts were directed towards his number one love – hockey.

It couldn't distract him forever though and so it was that the next day saw O'Neill somewhere he really wished he didn't have to be. "Come in."

General Hammond looked up from his paperwork as his guest wandered into the office. "What can I do for you, Colonel?"

"Oh, nothing. Was just in the neighborhood, thought I'd see how things were going."

Hammond eyed him for a moment before setting the paperwork aside. "Shut the door and have a seat, son. Why don't you tell me what's on your mind."

"It's about Daniel, sir. And Kashoku," O'Neill began after shutting the door, choosing to remain standing. Then he paused. He hadn't actually thought about how he was going to word this.

"I take it you're referring to their growing infatuation with one another," Hammond supplied.

"Not very discreet, are they?" Although, he hadn't thought they'd been that obvious…

"Son, when you've been doing this as long as I have, little things don't go unnoticed. I'm well aware of their closeness."

"Oh. Good. Well then, I guess I'll just-"

"Colonel," Hammond said firmly. "You didn't come in here just to bring that to my attention. What is it you wanted to say regarding that?"

O'Neill exhaled slowly and turned back around. "Daniel's acting weird, sir."

"In what way?"

"In creepy, love-struck Hathor ways. Not that I think Kashoku is even remotely Hathor part two, but… It's just a bit weird how quickly he's turned into her personal cheerleader, you know?"

"Given their close relationship, it doesn't seem out of the question for Dr. Jackson to be a sort of confidant for Kashoku. While I'll agree that it seems rather sudden, there's little else that Dr. Jackson has done that suggests any sort of variation from his normal behavior."

"Yeah… About that," O'Neill hedged. "There kind of is."

The general's face grew more serious at those words. "If you would, Colonel, please elaborate."

"Well, sir, Daniel asked permission – rather he _didn't_ ask for permission – to take her off base. See, that's exactly what I'm talking about! He was going to take her off base without consulting anyone at all!"

Hammond shifted forward in his chair and folded his hands. "Colonel, if what you are saying is true then Dr. Jackson could have been seriously reprimanded for his actions if he had done so. Why would he do that?" Even he himself seemed flabbergasted.

"_See_! Isn't this just a bit _strange_? All this just for some girl?

"Colonel, are you having reservations about this alliance?"

"I don't know what I'm having," O'Neill said, melodramatic as ever but truthful. "I don't even know what I'm going to have for lunch."

"Give me a good reason, son, and I'll call everything off."

O'Neill finally took a seat, slouching low, and sighed. "The Pentagon isn't really gonna buy my _reason_, sir."

"Perhaps not, but they won't like having another foothold situation, either."

O'Neill drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair. "I have no idea, sir. This is all just… _weird_. Don't you think she's too hot for him?"

Hammond gave a small smile and shook his head. "Perhaps we need to have a team meeting."

"Good idea, sir. You know I hate making decisions."

~*~

"I trust we all understand the purpose of this meeting?" General Hammond asked once they had all settled in. "Kashoku made the decision to stay on Earth longer, and I need to decide how long that stay should last. I'm looking for opinions from all of you based on what you've seen of her this past week and on what you feel she can offer us here."

"General, if I may, I think there's still a lot we can learn from Kashoku. She could and is willing to be a great help with healing, and I don't think we should let that go so soon. At least not until Janet and her staff has had time to master the White Mage dress sphere."

"Be that as it may, Dr. Jackson, we don't know how long that will take. We can't expect Kashoku to put her life on hold for us forever, nor can we so easily bring someone into the program. Even as just a healer, Kashoku would be exposed to a lot of information that's better kept secret. And while that can easily be monitored, I'm also under the impression that she will wish to see more of Earth than the SGC if she remains for an extended period of time."

Daniel had the grace to look embarrassed under the General's knowing gaze. "Which brings me to the point of this meeting. I understand that Kashoku has expressed an interest in remaining on Earth until Dr. Fraiser's staff has mastered the White Mage dress sphere. About how long do you see that taking, Doctor?"

"It's hard to say. The first few spells aren't taking long because we can practice them on ourselves, build our strength up that way. The problem comes when it's time to work for the stronger abilities; those require us to actually be healing someone. Maybe if it was just one person learning, full mastery could be achieved within one to two years, but with all of us?" The doctor shook her head. "This isn't something that'll happen anytime soon. The fact is, sir, without Kashoku it'll be a long time before we can really reap the benefits of the White Mage dress sphere."

General Hammond nodded, absorbing the information easily. "The Pentagon has decided to leave the decision of Kashoku's extended stay entirely up to myself," he announced.

O'Neill's eyebrows shot up. "Do my ears deceive me? They're not butting their noses into this?" Around him, his team expressed similar disbelief.

"They've decided to trust my assessment of her character," Hammond said. It didn't need voicing that after Senator Kinsey's return to Washington, slander aplenty, the Pentagon was likely planning to use the turn-out of Hammond's decision to steer their own. If they put their faith in Kashoku and things turned out horribly, it would be the General's head on the line. It was a sobering truth in the room.

"As such," he continued, "I want honest opinions from all of you. I'm going to be taking them all into account when I make my decision."

The room was silent as the group tried to assemble their thoughts of what they'd observed over the past week and a half. Teal'c was the first one prepared to speak. "I do not believe Kashoku Yoshiko means us any harm. Her interest in Earth appears innocent, and her desire to help genuine."

"So you don't think we're being played here?"

"If she is truly of the mind to take advantage of Earth, she will not easily be able to do so. The required strategy would be illogical and inefficient."

"That's a no," O'Neill supplied helpfully.

"What about you then, Colonel? You've voiced your opinion to me, but I'm sure your teammates would like to hear it, too."

O'Neill shifted under Daniel's accusing stare. Whatever. He had his reasons to want Kashoku gone and Daniel was just going to have to get over it. He sat up a little and set aside the pen he'd brought along in case of boredom. "Not to sound like the boy who cried wolf, sir," he began seriously, "but…Wolf, wolf!"

"I cannot believe this," Daniel said, swiveling in his chair to really face O'Neill. "Jack, you've _met_ Kashoku! How can you think that about her? She hasn't done anything to warrant this sudden suspicion."

"Hasn't done anything? Daniel, I know you can be a little dense at times but-!"

"Colonel! Dr. Jackson, unless your next comments are relevant I'll remind you to wait your turn. You'll have a moment to speak soon enough, but it's Colonel O'Neill's opinion we want to hear right now."

Daniel's jaw clicked shut. "Yes, sir."

"Go ahead, Colonel."

"Thank you, sir, but I have nothing more to say," O'Neill said, only then breaking the staring contest he'd been having with Daniel.

If Hammond was surprised by that he didn't show it. Instead, he nodded and easily shifted his attention to another of his trusted officers. "Major, what are your thoughts on the matter?"

Carter's eyes darted from O'Neill to Jackson. "I think this alliance is to our benefit, sir. Having Kashoku on Earth might improve our chances of furthering the alliance – if she puts in a good word for us they might offer more eventually – but there's also the possibility that Colonel O'Neill is right and this will all blow sky-high.

"Kashoku seems to really be who she says she is, and she's been nothing but helpful thus far. I'd suggest keeping an eye on her, perhaps, but I see no other reason not to permit her stay. I think what it really comes down to is can we afford to let this situation go? Nooj, Baralai, and Gippal chose Kashoku to represent them; I doubt they'll continue to extend their friendship if we treat her with little trust for seemingly no reason. Especially not after Kage's return to them."

"Those are all valid points, Major. Dr. Fraiser, what do you think, since you've spent the most time around her aside from Dr. Jackson?"

"Well, sir, I have to agree that so far this alliance is to our benefit. I have seen, as we all have, just what the White Mage dress sphere –"

O'Neill rudely interrupted, "WHIM."

"Sir?" Dr. Fraiser asked in confusion.

"Oh, _come on_, I'm not the only one here who is tired of saying that! We'll call it WHIM! You know, white mage….WHIM!"

Carter and Daniel gave O'Neill an odd look, while Teal'c offered a smile. The Jaffa, however, seemed to be the only one amused.

"Right," Dr. Fraiser began again after the awkward silence, "We have all seen what the dress sphere can do. She has already fully cured all our patients, some of whom had some serious injuries. As a doctor, I can't help but be really excited about it."

Hammond sensed the hesitation in the doctor's next words. "However?"

"However, as a doctor, I have to wonder the flip side of the coin. We know that the sarcophagus can work wonders, but it has its side effects."

"You think that the magic used with the White Mage dress sphere might have some as well?" Hammond asked.

Fraiser could only shrug an apology. "I'm not sure. With something we have such little understanding of, it's possible. Although, to Kashoku's benefit, having her around could help me better understand the magic and its possible side effects. They are supposedly almost a hundred years old, right? And hadn't Kashoku mentioned Kage constantly requiring her use of the magic? As far as I could see, nothing seemed wrong with her."

"Oh _please_! There are a million things wrong with her! Have you checked her into a mental institution yet? See what they say?" O'Neill interjected.

"From a medical standpoint, sir." Fraiser responded with a lace of amusement.

"So you agree we should keep her around?" Hammond asked in confirmation.

"For now, sir, I do."

"Dr. Jackson? I believe you've been waiting to speak."

"Well, sir, I think Sam and Janet have made some of my points for me already. She obviously offers us a great deal in the way of healing, but that's not the only thing the White Mage dress sphere offers us. Don't you all remember the protection spells she cast on Spira? I mean, just think of what that could do for us out in the field."

"Whoa, whoa, WHOA!" O'Neill shouted suddenly. "I know you are _not_ suggesting what I think you are suggesting!"

"Well,-"

"Absolutely not, Daniel! General, back me up here!"

"Sir, you yourself cannot deny how much trouble SG-1 usually finds themselves in."

"I have to agree, sir," Fraiser nodded.

General Hammond straightened in his seat, at this point highly annoyed at where this conversation was going. "Dr. Jackson, what I cannot deny is how out of character you have been since Kashoku arrived on Earth!"

Daniel was silent for several moments before he stood and responded in a soft voice, "So is that what this is all about?"

"Son, in the past few days you have ignored mission reports, turned up unprepared for meetings, been distracted on the field, and tried to go against protocol and take Kashoku off base!"

Carter's blue eyes widened. "What?!"

"Oh, it's _all_ true," O'Neill snorted.

Hammond took a deep calming breath, "In fact, Dr. Jackson, I think you and I need to discuss this matter further in my office. As for the rest of you, dismissed."

Teal'c, Carter, and Fraiser all rose slowly offering Daniel sympathetic glances before leaving the room quietly. O'Neill stood but did not leave. "Sir,-"

"Colonel," Hammond began sternly, "I said dismissed."

O'Neill hesitated for a few seconds but said nothing as he finally left the briefing room.

"In my office, Dr. Jackson."

It was at that point that all the repercussions of his actions hit Daniel in the face. Stunned, he began making his way towards the general's office.

"Have a seat, Doctor," Hammond said as he closed the door behind him and took his own seat behind his desk. The general let out a heavy sigh as he folded his hands. "This cannot continue."

"I know, and I'm sorry, sir," Daniel apologized sincerely, his heart racing with fear of what might be to come. "I was just really trying to make a good impression for this alliance to work."

"I know you are, son, but this has to stop. Until you can get your head back out of the clouds I'm going to have to put you on temporary suspension from offworld missions."

"But, sir!"

"There are no buts about this, Doctor! I don't want you jeopardizing your life or anyone else's out there on the field. You'll be allowed to continue your work here on base, but until you can show me you are focused on the job again you are grounded from Gate travel." Hammond could easily see the hurt and disappointment on the archaeologist's face. "Son, I know you are just as eager as everyone else – probably more so – about this alliance, but you should also know more than anyone else how _important_ it is to us. After what you did you are lucky suspension is all I'm giving you. So, what I need you to do right now is figure out how to smooth down what might be some mighty ruffled feathers out there.

"Let Kashoku do what she came here to do. Let her teach Dr. Fraiser and her staff to use the sphere and just leave it at that. I'm not saying you have to ignore her or not continue to establish a friendly relationship with her, but leave it at that. Whatever the two of you have going on right now; let it go. You've had to ride a hard road to get to where you are, Dr. Jackson. Don't let something like this ruin all that hard work. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," Daniel sighed heavily, not knowing whether it was of relief or severe disappointment.

"You're dismissed."

It took several seconds for Daniel to take everything in and respond to the general's orders. Slowly, he rose from his chair and exited Hammond's office. He didn't walk far down the hall before he stopped to shove his back against the level's wall. Closing his eyes and letting his head drop back against the concrete, he wondered just what exactly he had done. It seemed that all of Kashoku's reservations about the relationship were slowly becoming true.

He should have never pushed her to pursue the relationship back on Spira.


	6. Chapter 6

"So how'd it go?"

Daniel took the last few steps into his office and moved past O'Neill to get to his chair. He wished he'd had the foresight to go somewhere else after being dismissed. "What are you guys doing here?"

"We were worried about you," Carter said. He could see the hesitation in her posture and sighed. There was no need to guess the question she wasn't sure how to ask.

"I'm not fired if that's what you wanted to know." Daniel didn't meet any of their eyes, opting to instead flip through assignments he'd previously left neglected. He picked one at random and bent over it, hoping that he didn't look or sound as pathetic as he felt.

Carter stepped forward again before O'Neill had a chance to make an ass of himself. "Daniel... What happened?" she asked, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder.

He didn't answer at first, couldn't really. The lump of shame stung in his throat and for the life of him Daniel couldn't repeat the words the general had told him what felt like hours ago.

A snort. "He didn't fire you so it can't have been that-"

"I'm grounded from gate travel." There, he'd said it.

Daniel convinced himself to look up when the silence went on a bit long. Carter seemed speechless, Teal'c... Daniel thought he looked disappointed but it was hard to tell with Teal'c. As for O'Neill...

"Sounds about right," He shrugged.

"Sir, this doesn't bother you at all?"

"Daniel's been acting like an idiot, Carter. I won't say I'm happy about taking some other geek with us to replace him - god knows I'm going to love making sure the moron we get understands the concept of Point THEN Fire - but he asked for it and at least this is temporary. This is temporary, right?"

Daniel nodded glumly. "Until I prove myself capable of handling the responsibility again."

"Well there you have it. I trust Danny-boy here won't leave us suffering too long?"

Daniel felt a bit of defensiveness flare up at the undertone in the colonel's words, but he smothered it down as he remembered the position those same feelings had landed him in. "No, I... definitely want back on the team."

"Good. You heard him, Carter. He screwed up, he's being punished, and now he's ready to repent. Nothing to worry about."

"Your presence will be sorely missed, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c spoke up finally.

"Yeah, uh, try not to be too hard on my replacement." He had an idea of who it would be, but he wasn't sure who'd have it worse, the man or his team.

O'Neill snorted. "I promise nothing. If he's got two left feet, you better believe you're going to hear it. And Daniel," O'Neill grew serious, "Don't waste this chance. Most people would be packing their bags right now."

"I know."

A tense silence descended upon the room. Carter looked away from her warring teammates and caught Teal'c's eye, glancing pointedly towards the door. The Jaffa inclined his head mutely and left. Carter planned to be right behind him. "We'll leave you alone and let you get back to work, Daniel," She smiled reassuringly.

O'Neill rolled his eyes, but followed after his second-in-command without much complaint. "Just make sure you're actually _alone_."

"Jack!"

"What? I'm not apologizing for anything I said, Daniel."

"No, I just…" Daniel hesitated, but a look at the other man immediately strengthened his resolve. "Don't tell her."

"You're not really in a position to be asking favors of me right now."

"I got myself – and her – into this mess. At least let me be the one to tell her."

O'Neill considered the archaeologist, looking beyond the plea written all over his face. "Do you think you _can_?"

"Yes. …No. I don't know." Daniel closed his eyes at that admittance, but it was too late to take it back. He listened to the steady staccato of fingers drumming on his doorway and waited for the inevitable snarky commentary.

It didn't come. "Well," O'Neill spoke finally, "You might want to work on that."

"What?"

"You have one week, Daniel." O'Neill raised a single finger helpfully incase the dazed man had difficulty comprehending him. "That's as generous as I get. Yell at her, warn her off, bore her into tears – I really don't care. If I don't see you busting your ass to get back on this team after a week, I'm taking matters into my own hands. Understood?"

O'Neill waited just long enough to see that Daniel did in fact understand before he was out the door. Probably off to put a counter on his computer, tracking time to the very second on how long Daniel had to break things off with Kashoku.

Daniel buried his hands in his hair and hunched over his desk. "Damn it…" How the hell was he going to fix this? A soft knock at his door interrupted Daniel's musings before he could so much as begin to think of what to say to Kashoku. _Surely_, he thought faintly, _my luck isn't this bad_.

Apparently it was. "Hey," the woman in question greeted as she entered Daniel's office.

The archaeologist didn't even look up as he gave a half-hearted response. She just _had_ to come right after O'Neill left him with that lovely ultimatum and a foul mood. How was he supposed to deal with this?

"What's wrong?" Kashoku asked softly. She could easily tell that something was bothering him.

"Nothing. I'm just extremely busy." Daniel knocked her approaching hand away, his tone coming out harsher than he'd intended for all that it fit the action, and still he refused to look at her.

Kashoku was taken aback but quickly tried to shake it off. "Well, can I help?" She bent over to take a look at his report, but she barely made out a word of it before he covered it with his arm.

"No!"

That stung. Kashoku tried to remind herself that it really wasn't any of her business, but it wasn't as though Daniel had ever minded before. "Daniel, if you don't want me here you just have to say so!"

Daniel sighed and finally looked up at her. "I'm sorry; I'm just really stressed out right now."

"And that's perfectly alright, but there is no need to take your problems out on others." Her voice was surprisingly soft after just having been snapped at.

_Unfortunately, you are the problem._ "How can you be so calm after I just yelled at you?"

"You are talking to someone who has dealt with Kage the past seventy or so years."

"Good point."

Kashoku smiled. "I'll let you get back to work."

"Yeah, thanks."

Kashoku left the office and headed towards the mess hall. She was originally going to ask Daniel to join her, but decided against it after his sudden outburst. Eating alone was always awkward, but it wouldn't be her first or last time since being on base. Daniel had warned her that the food was far from the best Earth had to offer, and it was even sometimes vile. Thankfully, she had found their fruits, breads, and desserts satisfying. For some reason the blue dessert they called Jell-O was particularly tasteful and entertaining as it jiggled.

Several people stared as she took her lone seat, but she was used to that as well. Everyone questioned her intentions. How the tables had turned. She had begged Kage to give her trust to SG-1 and have faith that they were not out to harm them. And here she was now trying to gain the trust of them. Still, she was quite surprised when Teal'c placed his heavily stacked tray across from her and sat. "Did Colonel O'Neill send you to question me?" She didn't understand why the man had taken offense to her so suddenly, but she was quickly becoming resigned to it.

"I question you on my own accord."

"Ah. Well then, fire away."

"What are your true intentions here at the SGC? Is Daniel Jackson merely a pawn in your plan to take down the Tau'ri?"

Kashoku twitched in disbelief, completely taken off-guard with the question "What? I have no intentions of taking out anyone."

The Jaffa leaned in close to look her directly in the eyes.

Kashoku couldn't help but lean back. "I'll give you that; you're quite intimidating. Do they always use you for interrogations?"

"Indeed." He sat back.

"I'm not trying to hurt anyone," Kashoku said as she idly picked at her food.

"What are your intentions?"

"Haven't you ever felt like you are meant to be a part of something bigger and greater? Surely you have. You knew that you were not meant to be Apophis's First Prime. You knew you were meant to help free your people."

"But the Tau'ri are not your people. You want to stay and help the off-world teams from coming in harm's way, but that would not benefit Spira in any way."

"It would benefit my people just as much as you fighting on SG-1 helps yours."

Teal'c blinked and for once could not come up with a logical conclusion to what Kashoku had just said. "I do not understand."

"By fighting beside the Tau'ri you are helping them destroy the Goa'uld. The Goa'uld are a threat to more than just the Jaffa, Teal'c."

"But you were able to destroy their ships."

"Do none of you pay any attention?" Her voice was filled with annoyance and louder than she had thought. Biting her lip at the sudden attention she calmed herself down. "It doesn't matter. I _begged_ Kage not to kill all of you on spot and I helped you every way I could on Spira, yet here I am being held practically a prisoner when I have done nothing to gain your mistrust!"

Teal'c seemed to relax from his intimidating form and spoke in a friendlier manner. "Do you wish for me to leave you alone?" Perhaps he understood after all.

Kashoku sighed and put down her fork. "I'm already alone."

The statement was true, but Kashoku hadn't realized how much this was so until a few days later when Daniel turned her away – again.

"I'm sorry; I know I said we could have lunch today but I'm really busy, Kashoku."

_I'm really busy, Kashoku._ Kashoku bit her lip. It had been the same story all week, at multiple times of day. She didn't want to pester Daniel, nor did she want to get in the way of his work, but… "You've been working hard all week, Daniel," she coaxed. "I haven't seen you take a single break. This isn't good for you. They've got hamburgers today so there's nothing to fear there. Surely you could take a twenty minute break?"

"That's not an option." The words were blunt and cold and not for the first time Kashoku wondered what had happened to Daniel. This person who turned her away and treated her so unkindly wasn't the man she'd met on Spira. This… This went beyond just being busy.

Kashoku sighed, but conceded the point for the moment. "Please just consider what I said." One more day, and she was going to talk to someone about this.

Daniel's voice halted her retreat as she stepped into the hallway and she turned, a hopeful spark catching in her eyes. For a moment it seemed like there was something else Daniel wanted to say, but at the last minute he changed his mind. "This work is going to keep me busy for the rest of the week, so we should go ahead and cancel all our plans now. That way you won't have to keep coming down here for nothing."

The spark died. Briefly, Kashoku considered leaving as was clearly expected, but she wasn't a child anymore and she was tired of bending her will because someone was having mood swings. She lifted her chin defiantly. "No."

Daniel looked up at her. That it was only the second time since she'd entered the room cemented her decision. "What?"

"No. Maybe you really are busy, Daniel, but what you're doing isn't healthy. I will not just disappear because it's convenient for you – who knows when you'd take a break and when was the last time you _ate_? Coffee doesn't count," she cut him off. "If you want to keep pushing me away, then fine, but I'm not going to make this easy for you. I don't deserve this. I'll go now but you can count on me being back around dinner time."

Kashoku did come back, but it was an empty office she returned to that night. Closing her eyes against the aching sensation of being avoided – there was no sense denying it now – Kashoku took a moment to pull herself together before she whirled around and stormed out. Daniel wasn't acting like Daniel and she had a sinking feeling she knew who was responsible, or at least who'd have the answers she wanted.

Unfortunately, no one seemed to know where to find Colonel O'Neill. Anywhere Kashoku was directed – the cafeteria, Major Carter's lab, the infirmary (which told her plenty about the team's penchant for injury) – was devoid of the man's vast presence. It wasn't until Kashoku was returning to her room that the answer came to her. How could she have forgotten Teal'c?

Figuring the Jaffa would be in the cafeteria still rather than his room, Kashoku headed straight there. It wasn't hard to pick Teal'c out from the small crowd once she'd arrived, but it was apparently even easier to notice her. She'd barely taken two steps towards him before Teal'c gave her his attention.

"Daniel Jackson is no longer on the base," he informed her evenly once she was near enough.

"That doesn't surprise me," Kashoku sighed, before shaking her head and sitting down. "Daniel isn't why I'm here though; or rather, he is but not in that way. I actually wanted to ask if you knew where I could find Colonel O'Neill."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow. "For what purpose do you require O'Neill?"

Kashoku held her silence, wondering whether she should speak her reasons or not. It wasn't a hard choice; Teal'c was unlikely to tell her anything if he wasn't satisfied with her reasons, and there was always the possibility that he had noticed as well, that he knew what was wrong with Daniel. She took a deep breath and began, "For several days now Daniel has been going out of his way to brush me off. I want to know why, and I think Colonel O'Neill has that answer."

"You do not believe Daniel Jackson is distancing himself for a personal reason?"

"He isn't just distancing himself, Teal'c! He's completely pushing me out!" Kashoku didn't care if her outburst disrupted the nearby conversation. It was clear to her that if she didn't get this across, she wasn't getting anything out of the stoic man. "If Daniel was just tired of my presence, if I was annoying him in some way, he could just tell me and I'd let him be. But he isn't; he's using cold words and shoulder to make me leave. I know we have not known each other long, but that hardly seems like him."

"Am I to assume Daniel Jackson gave no reasons for his actions?"

"Nothing…" Kashoku's eyes narrowed on the man's face. "Why?" she asked. "Do you know something?"

Teal'c inclined his head the slightest degree.

"What's going on, Teal'c? Why is Daniel acting like this to me? I thought he and I were friends."

"I believe, Kashoku Yoshiko, that is a question Daniel Jackson must answer."

Kashoku gave him a frustrated look. "But you do know," she said. "Does all of SG-1 know?"

"Indeed."

Kashoku stood slowly and inhaled deep. "I guess I will just have to make Daniel tell me." She wasn't looking forward to that, but if this was a team thing it was big and that meant she _needed_ to hear it from the man himself. She turned to leave.

"O'Neill has also left the base for the night, but will return for tomorrow's mission at 0700," Teal'c supplied.

Kashoku smiled, just a little. _And a mission meant Daniel._ "Thank you, Teal'c."

The Jaffa returned to his meal, and Kashoku headed off to decide how to best approach the morning's conversation.

Six o'clock dawned bright and early the morning of SG-1's mission. The team was introduced to Daniel's replacement – not too cocky, not too geeky, pretty alright as far as scientists went in O'Neill's surprised opinion – during the briefing. The mission was just a routine exploration, which meant lots of walking around, digging up dirt, breathing in deep, and fondling the artifacts. There was nothing to cause Redford any trouble, O'Neill thought with pleasure, fairly certain that Hammond had given them that mission on purpose. It shouldn't take them any more than a few hours tops before they were back on base, safe and sound.

"Shake a leg, Redford; we're burning daylight," O'Neill called ten minutes before seven, pulling his hat on as he headed for the embarkation room. He was just about to join Carter and Teal'c when a slightly accented voice called out to him.

"Colonel O'Neill!"

A sigh. "Yeah?"

Kashoku smiled in relief as she reached his side, although her eyes continued past him towards the lockers. "Oh good, I was worried I wouldn't catch you before you left. Is Daniel still getting ready?"

O'Neill blinked. "Huh?"

Kashoku glanced up at him once, then into the embarkation room which was noticeably Daniel-free. "I guess I should go catch him when he comes out. It won't take long, Colonel, I promise." She smiled brightly and was off.

O'Neill stood standing there for another thirty seconds and yet still all he could think to say was, "What?"

"Daniel _did_ tell Kashoku about what happened, right?" Carter asked as she and Teal'c came to stand by him.

"He did not."

"Oh you have _got_ to be kidding me. Damn it, Daniel!" O'Neill rolled his eyes. "And now she's going to run into Redford and hear everything from him. What a mess."

"Sir, maybe we should-?"

"Yeah, yeah…" O'Neill huffed and glanced at his watch. "Daniel said he was going to come see us off right? Send him my way when he shows up. I'm going to go see if Redford's spilled all the beans and dug Daniel into a deeper hole yet."

"Colonel! Is there a problem, Major Carter?" General Hammond asked from the Control Room, not liking one bit that only half of his flag-ship team stood ready at three minutes till departure.

"Just a few minutes, sir," Carter answered. "Colonel O'Neill went to get Dr. Redford."

"Daniel Jackson," Teal'c spoke beside her, already stepping towards the newly-arrived archaeologist.

"Oh, good, you haven't left yet," he said, unconsciously paralleling Kashoku's words. "I got caught in a bit of traffic and- and, wait, where are we going?" The archaeologist sounded nothing if not confused as Teal'c guided him a few steps down the hall. Both could easily hear behind them the echo of Hammond's irritated voice as he questioned Carter further about the scattered team.

"O'Neill requests your presence at the locker room."

"Okay. But, uh, why?"

"I cannot say. I would advise utilizing a greater speed, however, as we are already delayed from our mission."

"Right," Daniel agreed hesitantly. Soon they were upon the lockers and were greeted by the sight of a fidgeting Redford. The scientist kept glancing at his watch and shifted uncomfortably several times before he caught sight of them. Relief washed over the man's face.

"It's about damn time, Dr. Jackson," he groused. "The Colonel wouldn't let me leave until you got here, said it'd negate his excuse if I went back alone. Now we're two minutes behind schedule and counting."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Daniel said, more out of habit than anything else. "Listen, do you know what this is ab-?"

"Daniel! Just the man we've been waiting for," O'Neill greeted, popping out of the locker room with a tight smile. "Redford, good job; now get out of here before you wet yourself from anxiety. Teal'c?"

Teal'c met O'Neill's eyes and nodded slightly, following after the practically sprinting scientist. Once they were alone, O'Neill rolled his eyes. "I cannot believe you left me stuck with that guy."

"He's not that bad…"

"At first," O'Neill snorted. "Then you mess with his routine and the guy flips out. If you screwed up again and landed me with him for even longer, rest assured I will get revenge."

The comment was voiced like playful banter, but instinctively Daniel felt himself go on guard a little. There was something about the way O'Neill was acting that pointed to an underlying danger. And the only thing Daniel could think of, the only thing that'd he'd done was… Oh. Suddenly, it was all coming together.

Warily, Daniel spoke up, "You said 'we' before."

"Did I?"

"You didn't mean Dr. Redford."

"Didn't I?"

"Jack, where is she?"

"You'll have to be a little more specific, Daniel; I know a lot of shes. For example, if you mean Doc Fraiser, she's in her lab; Carter is in the embarkation room waiting for our team minus you to go on a mission; and if, by chance, you meant Kashoku, she happens to be behind door number 1 here, also as luck would have it, waiting. Any idea what she's waiting for?" When Daniel remained silent, choosing to close his eyes rather than face the truth, O'Neill continued. "Ding ding ding! That's right! She's waiting for an explanation – a lovely little tidbit of truth that for all of your grandstanding, you failed to divulge."

At that, Daniel rediscovered his voice. "I'm sorry, but weren't you the one who told me to do whatever it takes as long as I was working to get back on SG-1? Why are you getting involved now?"

"I didn't think you'd actually do any of that crap!" O'Neill rolled his eyes. "I mean, come on, Daniel. This is you. And since when has being rude ever worked on someone like Kashoku? I've been trying that with you for five yeras and I still haven't gotten rid of you. Now stop your whining, get in there, and tell Kashoku why you're being such a jerk before she actually _does_ decide you're too rude to be worth the time of day and drops the treaty!"

"Jack-!" Daniel tried to defend himself or argue – O'Neill didn't wait long enough to hear – but the locker room door was opened and he found himself very quickly manhandled inside. The door shut.

"I think we need to have a talk, Daniel," Kashoku said. She was sitting on one of the nearby benches, her arms crossed as she watched him. She didn't look as mad as Daniel thought she might have, but there was definitely a hint of disappointment in those eyes.

Daniel fidgeted guiltily. He almost wished Kashoku would say something else whether to demand more of him or to accuse him so he knew where to begin fixing things, but she didn't. She waited patiently, letting her previous statement weigh heavy in the room. He had been a fool to think ignoring her was the way to get back on SG-1. In his obsession to get his job back, he'd completely lost sight of everything – again.

At least Kashoku was here to listen; she was still giving him a chance to fix things. He hoped. "How much do you know about what's going on?" He started, moving to sit next to her.

"Beyond your actions towards me this week? Not much." Kashoku glanced towards him, irritation clear in her voice. "I don't understand, Daniel. I thought we'd finally settled on something, and then you do this. Is it about the treaty?"

"In a way," Daniel admitted. "But mostly it's about us."

"Are you in trouble because we've gotten close?" She frowned. It wasn't hard to put the pieces together now that he was actually talking to her.

Daniel hesitated, but eventually nodded. "I don't think anyone really _knows_, but…"

"But they suspected and as opposed to talking to me about this, you decided to handle things yourself." There was the irritation and locked jaw again.

"I'm sorry. I just wasn't sure how to handle it. Since you've come to Earth, I haven't been doing my job properly and ended up neglecting a lot of my duties-."

"And that's _my_ fault?"

"No! No, I'm just saying, I've been really distracted because of things with you, and so General Hammond grounded me to the base until I cleaned up my act. I guess I was so focused on fixing things that it didn't occur to me to try any other way."

"How did it not occur to you in the span of an entire week to talk to me about this?" Kashoku asked skeptically.

"Okay, that isn't entirely right. It occurred to me, but by then I'd already been so rude to you that I convinced myself it might work." Daniel winced at the look Kashoku gave him. "Stupid, I know."

"Stupid doesn't even begin to cover it, Daniel." Kashoku shook her head, turning forward to face the locker. Her eyes traced the names on each of them as she thought. "So what now? Since the very beginning I kept telling you that this could not work, and my suspicions are becoming more and more true with every second. I also cannot just turn a blind eye to the way you treated me the past week."

"I know, and I'm sorry," Daniel sighed, not really knowing what to say to fix this. "What can I do?"

"You can remember that when two people are attempting to be in a relationship they do not decide to keep things like this from the other. I don't appreciate being kept in the dark about something that concerns me as well. I need time to think about this, Daniel. I'm not saying this is the end of the line, but I feel you could at least grant me a bit to weight all the options."

Daniel slowly closed his eyes in a defeated motion. He knew Kashoku was telling him it wasn't over yet, but it definitely felt like it. Shoving his glasses up further on the bridge of his nose he nodded, "Yeah, of course."

Kashoku gave a small nod of thanks. "Now, tell me exactly what General Hammond said and we'll figure this out together." Kindly, Kashoku refrained from adding 'like we should have done a week ago', but Daniel knew it was there.

A little less than two hours later, the klaxons began blaring. "Unscheduled off-world activation," Siler warned. The IDC registered just as General Hammond arrived. "It's SG-1, sir."

"Open the iris," Hammond ordered. SG-1 wasn't due back for at least three more hours; it didn't need to be said that this likely boded ill. Time passed slowly as the gate sat open, rippling gently with energy. Suddenly, a Jaffa staff blast flew through the gate, striking the wall opposite. It was followed immediately by Colonel O'Neill and Dr. Redford, who made it halfway down the ramp before another staff blast by his head caused him to panic and pull O'Neill over the side. Teal'c and Carter emerged from the gate themselves at nearly a run just a few seconds later.

"Close the gate and get Dr. Fraiser down there now!" Carter's shout came.

It was chaos and blood by the time General Hammond made it the few steps down to the embarkation room. Major Carter and Teal'c were at O'Neill's side, the woman trying to control the outpour of blood from his side and arm as Teal'c remained a reassuring presence for the barely-conscious man. Redford was blood-spattered and panicky around them as he alternated between hovering and checking his watch.

"Doctor Fraiser will be here in about three minutes, Colonel!" The scientist tried.

"I don't think he has it!" Carter bit her lip, trying not to give up hope entirely.

"Hang on, son," Hammond said worriedly. He didn't bat an eye as he kneeled in his subordinate's blood, ready to do whatever he could for the man. "We're getting you help."

O'Neill managed to get off a laugh at that, but it was more of a gurgle that anything and proceeded to send him into a fit of pained coughs. "Right," He rasped, already struggling to keep his eyes open.

There was a small commotion near the door. "Oh god, Jack!"

"Move out of the way!" Carter was elbowed to the side and quickly replaced by Kashoku, already in her White Mage dress sphere. She assessed the blast wounds in a split second and bright lights began weaving in and out between her fingers. "You really did a number on yourself this time, Colonel," She murmured sadly.

"Can you help him, Kashoku?" General Hammond asked, clearly praying for the diminutive woman and her dress sphere to be the miracle O'Neill needed.

It would take a lot out of her. The wounds were serious; they would have killed him if even one was just a few centimeters more towards his chest and had already been working to do just that anyway. The newly arrived Doctor Fraiser and her staff never would have been able to save him, even with their own dress sphere. Even she would probably pass out afterwards just for the sheer amount of concentrated healing required.

Kashoku didn't say any of that though. "Yes," She promised, and turned her full attention to saving O'Neill's life.

~*~

Kashoku opened her eyes to the white lights and walls of the infirmary. "Dr. Fraiser?" she called, moving slowly into a sitting position.

"Good to see you awake," The other woman answered from somewhere behind her. Kashoku heard the tail end of a conversation regarding someone's charts before the doctor came around to see her.

"How is Colonel O'Neill? I'm pretty sure I healed all of his wounds before I passed out, but…"

Fraiser smiled reassuringly. "The Colonel's already on his feet and running around," She said. "It was a force of will to even keep him here long enough to do a full check-up, but I managed. I – _we_ can't thank you enough, Kashoku."

As Kashoku returned the smile, her eyes fell upon a small collection of what looked to be mostly hastily put together cards next to her bed. Curious, she picked the top one off the pile and read it. "It's a thank you card," She said in surprise.

Doctor Fraiser looked at the pile in amusement. "Word spread quickly about Colonel O'Neill's healing. I think you'll find quite a few apologies and declarations of appreciation in that pile. You won a lot of people over with what you did today, Kashoku." The doctor squeezed her shoulder briefly and picked up the chart attached to the foot of the bed.

"Now, I do believe someone has been waiting for you to wake up for some time. I sent him off for coffee about fifteen minutes ago, so if you'll let me check you over for any problems real quick, you'll be free to go once he gets back."

"What's wrong with your coffee pot?" It was no secret that the infirmary staff hoarded a pot to themselves to get through the long days and nights.

There was a mischievous look to the good doctor's expression when she looked up. "Nothing. I just thought Daniel could use the walk."

True to her word, Doctor Fraiser let Daniel spring Kashoku from the infirmary as soon as he returned, taking the steaming cup of coffee with a wink. "Have a good afternoon, Kashoku."

"Thank you." Kashoku smiled, still heart-warmed over the stack of letters in her hand. "I will."

Kashoku saw O'Neill several times throughout the week, but never managed to get a word in to make sure for herself that he was alright. The day before on her way to Daniel's office she had asked the man to hold the elevator for her, but he simply stared at her and let the doors close. Then, she'd invited him to sit with Daniel and herself at lunch and he'd made a beeline for the door.

"He's not still being rude to you is he?" Daniel asked with a frown, following her gaze to O'Neill's retreating back.

"That can't be it," Kashoku dismissed. "Everyone else has been so nice to me since I healed him. I wonder what's wrong. I'm going to go ask," She declared. "I'll see you later, Daniel. Work hard so you can rejoin SG-1 soon, okay?" A blinding smile later, Kashoku was gone.

"Colonel!" Kashoku called, quickening her pace to a run as the elevator started to close. Just as before, the man made no move to hold the door, so Kashoku extended her arm and blocked its closure at the last moment. Obediently, the doors opened and admitted her.

"Made it," She grinned.

O'Neill looked considerably less pleased. "So you did." He returned to staring at the screen displaying the floor number.

"I've been meaning to speak with you," Kashoku pushed. "How have you been feeling?"

"Just peachy. Why?" O'Neill asked warily.

"I just wanted to make sure you were ok after what happened. I never got to see for myself that you were fully healed," Kashoku explained.

"I'm…fine," O'Neill said, rocking back onto the heels of his feet. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his slacks and cleared his throat. "I, uh, guess I should say thank you."

Kashoku could feel a sense of pride building within her chest at hearing those words from the man himself. "You're welcome. I'm glad you are ok."

"Yeah, well, I suppose you are...ok." He shrugged.

The Spiran chuckled. That was probably as close to an apology that she was ever going to get from him, and it was enough.

"Incoming wormhole," Walter spoke as he began futzing with the controls to close the iris until a code was identified.

"Who is it?" Hammond inquired as he walked briskly towards the sergeant.

"I'm getting the Spiran IDC, sir. I'm also receiving video transmission. Shall I put it on the screen?"

Hammond nodded, "Go ahead."

Video appeared on the screens up above showing the illuminated cave and a woman with short-cropped brown hair. "Oh good! It worked!" Her soft voice spoke.

"I'm General Hammond of Earth. What can I do for you?"

"My name is Yuna. Nooj, Baralai, and Gippal requested I try and see how negotiations are going. We haven't heard anything except, well," Tthe ex-summoner laughed nervously, "Let's just say we haven't heard anything at all that's _useful_ information."

"I trust you have spoken with Kage then," Hammond felt a nervous notion rise up in him.

"Mm. Sort of. It was more yelling than anything else, though. Please don't let Kage worry you. No one takes what she says seriously. We figured that since Kashoku hadn't returned things were still going well. However, that being said, we are still worried why she has not made contact. If you wouldn't mind, I would like to come through to make sure things are going well."

"Oh this is so exciting!" A voice in this distance called out behind Yuna.

Yuna laughed, "I'll be bringing along two friends."

"Of course. Open the iris." The naquadah shield began to retract to show the blue waters of the gate. "You may step through anytime, Yuna." Hammond reached for the com system. "SG-1 and Kashoku please report to the embarkation room immediately."

"Well, sir, she didn't seem too mad," Walter mentioned.

"No, son, she didn't." Relief washed over the general. Perhaps Dr. Jackson knew what he was doing after all.

SG-1 and Kashoku quickly made their way towards the embarkation room wondering who would be waiting for them at the gate and why Kashoku's presence was requested. Had the Devil reared her ugly head again? Instead, the singer was filled with delight at the sight of three of her very best friends.

"Yuna! Rikku! Paine!" Kashoku squealed in delight as she ran up to hug their forefronter. "I'm so glad you are here! E'ja paah naymmo muhamo," her expression turned sad as she spoke to her friends in a language not even Daniel would understand.

"Yna drehkc fedr Daniel hud kuehk famm?" Yuna asked in concern.

"Uh, that doesn't sound like Japanese," O'Neill raised an eyebrow.

"It's Al Bhed!" Rikku said in a matter of fact tone.

"Dryd ysuhk udran drehkc. Fa'mm dymg mydan." Kashoku sighed and put her smile back on. "So what brings you to Earth?"

"Worrying about you!" Rikku huffed. "When Kage came back no one had any idea what was going on."

Paine snorted. "Literally. She was practically incoherent in all her rage."

"That bad, huh?" Kashoku cringed.

"You didn't expect it to be all flowers and sugar did you?" The warrior raised an eyebrow.

"Are Nooj, Baralai, and Gippal angry?"

"Angry? At what? Oh! You mean about not getting anything and the whole conspiracy you apparently had? No one really believed anything she said. And even if it was true we figured you had a good reason for it. That's why we came here - to investigate!" the Al Bhed grinned happily.

Kashoku sighed with relief. "You don't know how glad I am to hear you say all of that."

"This is good," O'Neill pointed out. "Daniel, you might want to do things the _right_ way this time."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Why don't we sit down and talk?"

"Good idea, Doctor. If you'll come this way," Hammond motioned for SG-1, Kashoku, and the Gullwings to head to the briefing room.

~*~

"As I said," Yuna said as she made herself comfortable, "We want to know your side of the story. Kage said that Kashoku gave you the White Mage dress sphere in return for knowledge of other planets and races. In the ways of something beneficial to all of Spira you have nothing to offer. Her words, not mine," Tthe ex-summoner added quickly. "I will say that our leaders actually are happy with getting the knowledge you sent back. It will help us be much more prepared."

"We are just pleased that Spira is not upset with what occurred. We were unsure with how they would react to Kage's return," Hammond said.

"Kage is not a good example of our people, General. Kashoku, however, is. Many are like her and would be interested in worlds other than our own. After so many tragedies in our past, we have learned the value of sharing to help one another. We don't need much in return, General. As long as you promise to help us in matters of the Goa'uld and the Stargate we are unfamiliar with, we are happy."

"That is quite generous of your people, Yuna, but we feel obligated to return your generosity." Hammond smoke, signs of regret in his voice for his previous thoughts on the Spirans.

"And for such we are thankful, but such obligations do not have to be fulfilled immediately. I do believe Kashoku mentioned something about us helping your scientists with a project?"

"I have talked with your scientists and things I have told them about our world have interested them," Kashoku explained, "I was no help other than giving descriptions, but Rikku and Paine could easily replace Kage's part in the negotations. They can tell your scientists how to build anything."

"Okay, I believe that with her," O'Neill pointed to Paine, "but _her_?!" He pointed to Rikku.

"Hey!" The blonde interjected. "I'm an Al Bhed and we know everything about machina there is to know!"

"Well, Colonel, I think that settles it," Hammond spoke with a satisfied shrug.

"Yes, sir, I suppose that does," He responded, rubbing at his chin in thought.

"Kashoku, I'm going to leave you in charge of showing Rikku and Paine where they need to go."

"Of course," Kashoku beamed. Things were finally starting to take a change for the better. Daniel's smile was genuine again, and she knew he felt it too.

~*~

"Is this facility all you've seen?" Yuna asked as Kashoku led them down the halls of the SGC.

"Mmm," Kashoku nodded the disappointment in that fact clear in her face. "The Stargate is apparently some big secret to their world, so I'm a security risk. I can get clearance to go off with someone from the SGC, but….Let's just say that lately no one has trusted me within an ounce for that to happen until recently."

"What happened recently?" Rikku asked curiously.

"Colonel O'Neill got hurt on a mission earlier this week. He was near death, and I healed him. Major Carter has been nicer and more talkative around me and even General Hammond has been kinder, not just to me but to Daniel as well."

"Wait. Why was he being mean towards Daniel?"

Kashoku stopped and sighed. "He almost got fired from his job because of me."

Yuna smiled, "You are quite distracting."

"It's not funny! That's why it was so important I gain his trust. I had to convince them we aren't here just to sabotage everything."

"But even now that is what everyone thinks. Is all of this really worth some guy?" Paine inquired.

"Someone obviously hasn't ever been in love!" Rikku teased.

"Oh and you have?"

"I'm not in love!" Kashoku objected. "I'm actually really second-guessing the entire thing. I told Daniel after he lied to me about the whole thing that I need some time to think on it."

Paine brushed a strand of silver hair out of her eyes and continued to walk. "My opinion is to let Earth continue on with their inferior lives. I don't like being all buddy-buddy with people who don't even trust me."

"Just give them time! Like I said, it's already a lot better now that Kage has gone." Kashoku pleaded.

"And a whole bunch of technology I take it? Let me add to the shock-value by saying I agree with Kage. We shouldn't have to offer up our entire world to them to gain their trust. I don't like it."

"They aren't asking that!"

"Like hell they aren't!" Paine took a deep breath to keep herself from causing a scene in the middle of the hallway. "But unlike Kage, I'll play along for now. As crazy as all of Yuna's ideas usually are, I've never had reason to distrust her. As long as she agrees I'll go along with it."

Yuna nodded, "And I do."

"Here," Kashoku sighed as they approached Dr. Lee's lab. She poked her head in as the door was open and smiled at the doctor who gave her an annoyed look. "I have something for you this time."

"Really?" The doctor arched an unconvinced eyebrow.

Kashoku led in the Gullwings and smiled. "This is Yuna, Paine, and Rikku. Paine and Rikku can help you build everything I was telling you about."

The doctor dropped his pen and shifted his glasses. "Really?!"

"I promise."

"We'll try," Paine sighed in defeat, clearly not too pleased with the ordeal. "I make no promises until I see what exactly we are working with on your planet."

"Well, naturally, but," Lee frantically began shuffling through papers, "Oh my god! This is so exciting! Let's get started right away!"

"We'll just leave you all to work," Kashoku waved as she and Yuna headed for the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Paine asked, begging they not leave her alone with Rikku.

"We're no use here. I think we'll go check in on Dr. Fraiser," Kashoku smiled politely before leaving.

~*~

"So, now that everyone else is away, why don't you tell me everything that's been going on," Yuna smiled and spoke softly in Japanese as they sat at a desk in the infirmary.

"But I already-,"

"Told me part of the story. You said that you seemed to be in good graces with everyone after you saved Colonel O'Neill's life, but something is still bothering you. Is it what happened with Daniel?"

"A little," Kashoku admitted with a sigh. "Plus the fact that even though I have saved the Colonel, there's just not much of a reason for me to stay here much longer."

"And you don't want to leave." It was not a question. Yuna smiled. "Still, think about it. There's really nothing for you here. You are caged up in this place. They won't even let you go outside to see if Earth allegedly even exists. You can't sing, and from what it seems like there are still some people who are wary of you. Yet, you want to stay for one person."

"It's not so much about Daniel anymore, as it's the fact I'm just looking for something new," Kashoku argued. "I was tired of Spira. This is a way to sort of start a new."

"But you aren't. Not really. Like I said, you are practically a prisoner here. And like you said, there is no reason for you to stay here. I mean, mastering the White Mage dress sphere takes a long time, but surely they won't want to keep you here. They'll send you back to Spira and simply call on you if they run into any problems."

"I know," Kashoku sat back in her seat with a defeated sigh.

"Don't go having regrets yet," The ex-summoner scolded. "We'll think of something, no matter how much I might disagree with it."

"Mmm," Kashoku frowned, not comforted by her friend's words. She was also getting tired of the staring from the many nurses who were irritated they could not understand the conversation despite it not being their business. Switching to English she changed the subject, "So, how are things back home?"

"I'd like to say the usual, but I'm afraid I can't." Her eyes were filled with worry.

"What happened?"

"Nothing new, but you are well aware of our energy crisis. ShinRa did some research and estimates that we only have a few hundred years left, if that. Although that seems a while off…."

"With our life spans, it'll be here sooner than we think. We have to start thinking about what to do now..."

"That's just it. What can we do?"

"We can sympathize about energy problems," Fraiser said, unable to keep herself from listening in on the conversation. "If it's not the fact we are running out of it, it's the fact that it's too dirty for the environment and killing the earth. It's always something."

"It's a shame we can't help each other out on that, Dr. Fraiser," Kashoku smiled softly.

"Please, Kashoku, I think we know each other well enough for you to call me Janet," The doctor returned her smile.

"The problem is, when our energy goes out we will have no more magic," Yuna explained remorsefully. "Dress spheres will be the only remnant left of it."

"You mean the mako, right?" Janet frowned. "I remember Daniel saying something about that." Her body suddenly stilled and her face lit up. "That's it!"

"What?" Kashoku asked, brow furrowed.

"I know something else we can provide Spira. When your mako runs you won't be able to train any new healers. Even though your people can't die of old age, there is no promise the numbers won't dwindle. But in the infirmary when you first got here you told Daniel you were impressed by our abilities to heal without magic."

Yuna grinned, "You could teach us how to heal without the use of magic."

"More than that," Janet began, "White magic can only go so far. You can't cure sickness and disease and internal injures such as a tear of a ligament are beyond you. We have countless of medicines to offer. I'm sure we could find ones that would be beneficial to your own people if you gave me a list of certain illnesses that are common on Spira with their symptoms. It would be a lot to learn but it sounds like we'll be getting a head start, right?"

Kashoku couldn't help but jump up and give the doctor a huge hug. "Oh Janet! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

~*~

"This is perfect," Daniel exclaimed as Kashoku explained what Janet had proposed. "It'll benefit Spira and it'll come at little cost to our government, which will please the Pentagon to no end."

"The Gullwings are going to return to Spira in a few hours to relay all the information. Rikku and Paine have already given Dr. Lee enough information for him to be busy for a while," Kashoku mentioned. "I'm excited to see our leaders' reactions. This is great for the alliance."

"General Hammond said he would re-instate me to SG-1 once I finished finalizing the treaties. It's not normally something I do, but he figured I'd have a better grasp on the situation than our normal political team," Daniel explained.

Kashoku beamed, "Daniel that's great!" Her excitement was short lived, though, as Daniel began fidgeting nervously. Kashoku knew what he was attempting to ask. "I still need more time. We really need to let this blow over before we even try. I would hate for you to be taken off of the team again because of us."

"Good point," Daniel conceded, albeit disappointed.

Kashoku bit at her lip, something still nagging at the back of her mind. "I just don't know if we'll have the time."

Daniel looked up slightly from the artifact he had been inspecting during their conversation, "What do you mean?"

"You know that they aren't going to allow me to stay much longer. I don't serve much purpose," She sighed truthfully.

Daniel's shoulders slumped as he turned his focus back to the artifact. "I don't think that's true, but then again I don't have any say on whether or not you say. That's going to be up to Hammond.

That's when it hit her. Kashoku's mind began swirling with ideas at Daniel's words. "That's it!"

Daniel looked up in confusion. "What? What did I say?"

Kashoku pushed herself up to her feet. "I'll go talk to Hammond!" Without giving Daniel a chance to respond she left the lab and began darting through the hall, shouting a "Sorry!" as she ran into one of the personnel.

When she arrived at Hammond's office she looked upon the door with a moment of hesitation before she knocked. What if what she was about to say totally backfired? Hammond would laugh and send her right back to Spira without a second thought. Well, here went nothing. She knocked politely.

"One moment."

Great. That just made her more uneasy. Now she was stuck outside itching with nervousness.

"Good afternoon, ma'am. Do you need something?"

"Oh, hey, Siler," Kashoku smiled at the man that had approached her. "I'm fine, thank you. I'm just waiting to talk to the General."

"Oh, yeah, I saw someone walk in just a little earlier. He's probably still talking to whoever it was."

"Oh, thanks." Kashoku frowned, wondering who he could he possibly be talking to.

"No problem. Have a nice day, ma'am."

"You, too," She smiled politely but was anything but happy and grateful on the inside. With a heavy sigh she leaned against the opposite wall and simply waited. It seemed like an eternity before the door finally opened to reveal none other than Colonel O'Neill. Kashoku could feel the knot in her throat swelling.

O'Neill seemed just as shocked to see her there. "Well this is…awkward."

Kashoku finally managed to swallow. "…why?"

O'Neill sucked in a breath. "You know when you are talking about someone and then they just suddenly show up out of nowhere and you're like 'Speak of the Devil'? Well it kind of just went like that."

They had been talking about her. Kashoku wondered how badly she looked like she was about to vomit. "Oh."

"Whelp, he's ready for you." O'Neill gave a shrug and began walking off.

Barely even able to make herself move Kashoku entered the office.

"Kashoku, we were just talking about you."

Kashoku clenched her firsts, frozen for a moment, before she suddenly went off on a tangent. "Please don't send me back, General! I know that you all want to get rid of me as soon as the treaty is done, but please reconsider! I can help these teams out there! I have seen what happens when they are out in the field and although Colonel O'Neill was able to make it back to the SGC, not everyone can be so lucky. Please allow me on one of your teams! Any of them! I'll prove to you that I can help you!"

Hammond folded his hands and leaned on them over the desk. "Kashoku, you don't have to explain yourself to me. Colonel O'Neill has already recommended you. Just now in fact."


	7. Chapter 7

Kashoku's brown eyes widened. "Sir, are you serious?"

General Hammond could not help but smile at her enthusiasm. "Yes, Colonel O'Neill seems to have had a change of heart." He readjusted himself back to a serious manner. "I can't guarantee anything except that I will discuss the issue with the Pentagon. I wasn't going to talk to you until I had a definite answer, but since you were already here I figured it was best I let you know."

"Oh, _thank you_, General!" Kashoku hadn't felt this happy in a while.

"I'll let you know as soon as I've received an answer." He stood to indicate the woman was free to leave.

Kashoku practically leapt out of her seat and gave a quick bow before leaving. The Spiran had to keep herself from running down the halls with joy. She just had to tell Daniel right away!

"Hey," she said, not bothering with a knock as she walked in.

"Hey yourself. You ran off in a hurry."

Kashoku took a seat and made herself comfortable next to Daniel. No use giving the frilly details. "Hammond is going to try and put me on the team."

Daniel's shock momentarily paralyzed him before he took Kashoku into a hug. "That's great!"

"I know. He's waiting for the Pentagon to reach their decision."

Daniel pushed her slightly back so he could look at her. "I don't want to sound negative, but you do know it may not happen knowing the Pentagon."

Kashoku gave a curt nod. "I know. General Hammond already told me not to get my hopes up, but it's a little hard not to." She gave a small laugh. "The possibility is enough, ne?"

Daniel smiled. "Yeah. What brought this up though?"

Kashoku opened her mouth to speak but then closed it, her brow furrowing. "I…don't really know. I was going to talk to General Hammond to try and convince him he needed me around, when O'Neill came out of the office. He told me that he and the General had been speaking to one another about me, and I thought surely that was the end of it. Turns out, Colonel O'Neill was giving General Hammond his recommendation."

Daniel was obviously perplexed. "Jack recommended you?"

Kashoku nodded. "It doesn't make sense, does it? Even though he's been nicer to me, I never thought he'd to this. I don't understand him."

Daniel sighed. "I've known the man for four years and I still don't understand him either. Best not to complain, though. He wouldn't do it without a reason."

"Hmm, well, maybe you can coax that reason out of him."

Daniel let out a snort. "Doubt it. It's best just not to ask."

"Let's go eat lunch," Kashoku said suddenly.

The archaeologist raised an eyebrow. "Anxious?"

"I think I will be until I know," She smiled. "Wouldn't you be?"

"Yeah, I would. I could use a break anyways. I hope they come up with a decision soon."

"How long do you think it'll take?"

"Oh, a week or so."

Kashoku gave a pout. "That's not funny."

"Unfortunately, it's probably true." Daniel put down his books and headed towards the door. "You coming or not?"

Kashoku smiled and quickly made her way to grab Daniel's proffered hand. "I'm so excited," Kashoku said, her thoughts clearly centered on the upcoming Pentagon decision. "Just think, soon I'll be out there too, helping save lives beyond my own world."

"Just don't get too ahead of yourself, okay?" Daniel warned softly. "I know you don't want to hear it, but there is a good chance they'll say no."

"But why would they? I can help protect you, and it's not like I can't look after myself." Kashoku shook her head. "Even Colonel O'Neill must have seen that in some way if he recommended me."

"Jack aside, you're the best thing that's happened to the base in a long while. They might not want to risk your life, especially not before the ink has even dried on the treaty papers."

"That's ridiculous. Your people can be very paranoid at times, Daniel. If they're worried that my death would land them with someone like Kage, anyone else on Spira would be more than happy to reassure them otherwise."

Daniel's first mission with SG-1 came only two days after the Earth-Spira treaty was finalized. The team set out early, prepared to stay twenty four hours on a small, sparsely populated planet SG-1 had visited during Daniel's down-time. A side note in O'Neill's previous mission report pegged it as having more cows than people. Daniel couldn't really say he was excited about that – his allergies would have a field day, he just knew it – but it would be interesting to encounter a rural people. Less chance of stumbling across Goa'uld there, he thought privately.

As the hours wore on and the villagers took him and Teal'c through an extensive tour of the farms – O'Neill and Carter opted to stay behind, citing having had the tour last time – he almost began to wish for some sign of attack. Not that he wanted to distrust the friendly race, or wanted to have to deal with a Goa'uld anytime soon, but there was only so long his enthusiasm could stand up to fields and fields of grain.

"This is our largest field right up here, Dr. Jackson. It supplies us with most of our trade. Last year our harvest was so bountiful trade was the best it has been in years. It looks to be a promising year for us once again, even better than the last. Are your people interested in trade?"

"Oh, yes. That's why we explore. To meet new races and, uh, trade," he finished lamely.

"Wonderful, wonderful," Daniel's guide exclaimed. "I have to say when I first heard your friends speak of coming through the ring I thought it a terrible omen. We have always steered clear of it, you see, for fear of its evils… But now I see we have assumed wrongly all these years. Not even half a fortnight since they first visited us and our crops are flourishing. A good sign for us all I believe."

Daniel smiled and agreed, eyes wandering over to Teal'c. The Jaffa was bearing the tour with a familiar resigned detachment, gazing out across the fields towards the far off mountains. Daniel felt a sudden stab of sympathy. His teammate obviously had no interest in the farming methods on this planet; not that Daniel did, but at least it wasn't his second time going through it. He probably should have insisted on going alone, but given his track record of finding himself in tight spots he hadn't thought to argue when Jack gave the order for Teal'c to tag along.

As the village head's son led them along the main field, Daniel's mind wandered further. What would it be like with Kashoku joining them on missions? He was used to the team keeping an extra eye on him, but would it be odd for Kashoku to do the same since they were dating? When the team had to split up, would Kashoku be staying with him or going with someone else? He wondered how that would work. He wasn't the only one with a talent for getting injured on missions; how would they decide the best way to utilize Kashoku's shielding and healing abilities?

And why on Earth had O'Neill suddenly decide the team needed Kashoku on it when he nearly bit Daniel's head off just for suggesting it not all that long ago? Jack O'Neill was not the sort of man to suddenly change his mind and opinion about someone – not for the better, at least.

"You asked to see me, General?" Kashoku asked nervously. Her heart was pounding furiously.

"The Pentagon was much more receptive to the idea than I ever thought," Hammond said with folded hands and a hidden smile.

Kashoku finally breathed. "They said yes?"

"You will have to pass a psyche evaluation first." O'Neill didn't miss the look of confusion. "A psychiatric evaluation. It is to make sure that you are mentally stable and can handle the toll this job will take on you."

Kashoku gave an amused smile, "So you are telling me it is the kind of test Kage would fail with flying colors."

Hammond smiled, "You'll be just fine Kashoku. Just be yourself."

Kashoku returned the smile. "Sir, when is SG-1 scheduled to return?"

"Not until tomorrow morning, I'm afraid," He replied sympathetically. He should have foreseen the fact the Spiran would want to run off to his flagship team's archaeologist.

"Oh," She replied only mildly disappointed. How could she let that ruin the fact they were going to give her a chance? "Well, when do I have this evaluation?"

"Dr. Hanson is already here and waiting to begin. Airman Rogers will take you to him. The Pentagon takes forever on things that don't suite them but get right on it if it does."

"You could say the same for a lot of people, too, sir," Kashoku thought that description fit Kage just as well.

"Well, congratulations, Kashoku, and good luck."

The room Kashoku was brought to was extremely small with only a table and two chairs. It was obvious the setting was meant to intimidate. The interesting thing was that Kashoku didn't feel nervous at all. If General Hammond thought she would be just fine then she believed it. There was nothing to hide.

"Ah, Ms. Yoshiko, I am Dr. Hanson," An older man held out a hand. He was dressed in a pressed suit with grey hair and a short beard.

Kashoku took the hand and smiled, "It's nice to meet you."

"Please, sit. Are you familiar with what we are going to do today?" He opened a manila folder and folded his hands in his lap.

Kashoku shook her head, "No. We don't have anything like this on Spira. Not that I'm aware of, anyway."

"I will be asking you various types of questions in order to evaluate your mental state. Just answer honestly. Can you do that for me?"

"Of course."

Dr. Hanson grabbed a series of sheets from the folder. "The first test involves what are called ink blots. I'm going to show you a picture and I want you to say the first thing that comes to mind. Are you ready?"

Kashoku gave him a nod and he held up the first picture. She made no hesitation in speaking, "Chou akino."

The psychiatrist blinked. "I'm sorry?"

That made Kashoku nervous. Where had that come from? It was surely a butterfly she had seen, but word alone was did not what had instantly come to mind. "Sorry," she apologized trying to pull it together. "I think in New Spiran – Japanese - in my head and forgot to translate. A butterfly."

"Ah, that is perfectly alright and understandable given it is your first language. A butterfly." He began to write something down on the white piece of paper. "What about this one?"

Kashoku squinted slightly. "Darkness." The look she received from the doctor had her thinking maybe there _was_ a right or wrong answer to these questions.

"Interesting. He began scribbling on the paper again and that had Kashoku nervously wondering just what it was he was writing. "Ok, this one."

"Flying swans."

More writing. She bit her lower lip nervously. The next inkblot was held up. "A broken heart."

More and more scribbles. "Next."

"A sword piercing through a flower."

"We are half way there. Continue as you have been doing and remember just tell me the very first thing that comes to mind."

She was doing this all wrong. She could feel it. She took a deep breathe as they moved to the next one. "Death." The doctor stopped making comments and kept scribbling more and more. "Memory." By her count only two more to go. "Rebirth."

"Last one, Ms. Yoshiko."

"Peace." Kashoku didn't bother to go into an explanation.

Dr. Hanson took the inkblots and spread them out on the table. "We are going to go back through these together one by one. I want you to tell me how you saw what you saw and why. The first one was simple. You said a butterfly."

"It's here," Kashoku drew with her finger where she saw it. "This one was the simplest. It just…looked like a butterfly."

Dr. Hanson nodded, "I can understand that one just fine. It was the next one that we started to lose one another. You said you saw darkness. How do you see that in this picture?"

Kashoku sucked in a nervous breath. "Maybe it's just the color of the ink, but you can sort of see a figure here and then just clouds around her. It made me think of someone being overtaken by darkness."

The psychiatrist leaned back in his chair. "Ms. Yoshiko, what does this piece really make you think of?"

"Myself," Kashoku swallowed hard.

"Do you think you are the figure being shrouded in darkness?"

"My name translated into your language is Bright Light," Kashoku explained. "My dearest friend's name translates into Shadow."

"So the darkness is your friend. If she is your friend, why are you shrouded in her? That seems such a negative connotation as if she were trying to take over you."

"No," Kashoku shook her head. "Protection. Kage tends to be overprotective."

"Ok. The next one you said you saw flying swans. Do you think they are flying to or away from something?"

"Maybe," She cocked her head in thought. "To something. To the unknown."

Dr. Hanson shuffled to the next inkblot. "You said this one was a broken heart. Do you feel you have a broken heart?"

"Maybe not so much broken, but one that is being pulled in two different directions; Between my home and the SGC."

"But you wanted to be put on a team."

Kashoku nodded in agreement. "Yes, but that doesn't mean I haven't left things behind I still care about."

"What about the sword and the flower?"

"I'm…not sure, to be honest," Kashoku frowned. "It was the first thing to come to mind like a symbol I had seen somewhere before but can't remember where."

"Subliminal messaging has a way of doing that to you. This one you said you saw death."

"It looks like crows surrounding someone," she explained, feeling herself grow hot in sickness that this was going so terribly.

Dr. Hanson gave a nod of understanding, "Yes, crows are often a symbol of death in our culture as well." He moved on to the next one. "Memory. What does this symbol bring back in _your_ memory?"

Kashoku did not have much of a response for this one either. "Do you ever feel as if maybe there is a part of your life you don't remember? It's just a fleeting thought, but for a split second you wonder if everything around you is really…real."

"I think that's quite a common feeling for people, Ms. Yoshiko. Do you feel this way often?"

Kashoku shook her head. "No. Like I said, it's just for a split second. I'll maybe have a thought that I don't know where it came from, but I know I've thought it before."

"Déjà vu perhaps?"

"Sort of, but not really." The ex-singer let out a huge sigh.

"Relax, Ms. Yoshiko. This one you stated was rebirth."

"It looks like a tree. The tree is the symbol of the cycle of life and death, at least to me."

"Of course. Now, the last one you gave me just one word just like you began with. You say you saw peace…how can you _see_ peace?"

"There is a black and orange figure opposing one another. They are fighting. The red figures are holding out blue flags of peace trying to stop the fighting."

"Does this go back to your friendship with Kage?"

"Yes," Kashoku said simply.

Dr. Hanson gathered all the papers and placed them back into the folder. A click of his pen and he sighed, "This was surely something I've never experience before in my entire career, Ms. Yoshiko. We are done for today's session. I will see you the same time tomorrow?"

Kashoku gave a sad smile and nodded. "Of course. Thank you." As soon as she was out of the room she headed straight for the elevator. The overwhelming urge to cry came over her and she jammed the button for the floor her room was on. Once the elevator doors finally slid open she walked hurriedly down the halls. She was sure someone had greeted her, but she just continued on.

Upon reaching the room she slammed the door shut behind her and collapsed onto the bed letting the tears flow. How she had failed. The pillow let off a soft scent that was Daniel's cologne. It brought home the failure twice as hard. "I was so close…"

With a heavy sigh O'Neill dropped his vest down in a pile on the floor and fell back onto the 'bed' of the room. It was another wasted mission in his mind. They were a primitive race that only had food – bad food at that – to trade. Groaning, he ran a hand across his face. A knock came on the door. With a sharp tongue of frustration he shouted, "What?"

"Uh, it's me….can I come in?"

Daniel. O'Neill sighed again, this time in annoyance, and prepared himself mentally for a conversation with the archaeologist. "Sure…"

The old wooden door opened just enough to let his body through before closing it behind him. "Hey."

O'Neill squinted questioningly. "Hi."

Daniel gave the room a quick dressing down in nervousness as he placed his hands in his pockets. "I never got a chance to thank you."

"For what?" O'Neill asked as he closed his eyes against the burnt orange pillow. It felt really nice. Like he could go to sleep right now to avoid whatever conversation was coming out.

"For giving Kashoku a chance."

O'Neill gave a roll of his eyes at the love-sick puppy across the way from him. "It wasn't for you, Daniel. I think that she could be useful to the SGC as a whole."

Daniel's nostrils flared in frustration. "I thought it was odd that Kashoku said you were being nicer to her recently. You still don't trust her, do you?"

"Hey!" He pointed an accusing finger, "I did not say that!"

"Then why did you recommend her for SG-1?"

"I didn't!" O'Neill growled as he snapped up right. "Do you _honestly_ think, Daniel, that I would let her be on SG-1? Are you out of your mind? For cryin' out loud! I said _a_team. A. As in some team that isn't our team! You are already on the chopping block for letting her pretty face distract you, and you want her to be on our team? What the hell has gotten in to you? It's not her I don't trust right now, it's _you_!"

"What's gotten in to me is that these people are offering up technology that we only _dreamt_ of before meeting them and you treated them like they had already done something wrong until Kashoku saved your life! The _only_ Spiran that has been something other than completely generous and kind to us was Kage. One person. One person that acted just. like. _you_. Which is funny because you _detested_ Kage for the way she treated us. Like we'd already done something wrong to them. Sounds a little familiar doesn't it? You two would be perfect for one another." Daniel shoved his glasses back up onto his noise and turned away. Opening his mouth he turned half way back around to say something but decided he was done.

There was a knock on the door. "Come in," General Hammond called as he finished signing off another batch of reports. "Dr. Hanson. How did the first session go?"

The doctor took off his glasses and took a seat. "George, I've been doing psyche evaluations for this facility for as long as I can remember. Heck, I've been doing them for the past 45 years, and I have never come across someone like her. I could not even score her answers."

There was an evident look of concern on Hammond's face. "How do you mean?"

"You remember taking the ink blot test. You saw the picture and popped out a word or two of what you saw; cat, bird, mouse. Not her. Ms. Yoshiko didn't see a simple object. She saw a _story_. Every picture was a book to her! More often the word was an emotion. I have witnessed patients giving creative responses before, but never on such a level. What was so interesting is that she wasn't sure why she saw what she saw, but she was totally sure about every decision she made. And to think she didn't even need time to formulate these thoughts. They were really the first things that came to mind."

"So what does this mean?"

"To be totally honest, if it weren't for the fact that I have to continue on with the sessions by law I'd tell you to take her right now. George." He shifted his chair closer to the desk. "Although, I don't personally believe she should be here, doing this. Artists think that way: poets, authors, painters. She should be writing books not gallivanting around the galaxy."

Hammond smiled, "Then why are you already recommending her to do just that?"

"Because if there is one thing I know about what goes on here, it is that you and your people care about one another with everything you have. You say that you never leave a man behind, and if there is one thing Ms. Yoshiko values most it is friendship. She would do anything for the ones she loves."

"You can tell me that just by answers from inkblots?"

"I told you she gave me stories, George."

Hammond sighed, but it was a content sigh. "Paul, I have to say that I'm relieved to hear you say all of that. Even I thought no one could be as giving as Kashoku, but from what you say she is the real thing. After all the bad luck we've had through the years it is a relief to know someone is on our side. Even the Tok'Ra come with a price."

Dr. Hanson smiled, "Anything to help get you all back in good light with our government. I must say, she isn't without faults, but it's nothing I can't fail her on by any means."

"How so?"

"She's confused, but not in an ill manner. From what I can tell she is uncertain of where she is in life right now and is on a journey to figure out just what she is meant to do and who she is. I tell you it sure makes my job a lot easier if I can read someone so well over a few blobs of ink. I wish everyone gave their life stories so readily. It will be interesting the results of her test tomorrow. I don't think it will be a problem, however. Ms. Yoshiko's worst enemy is herself right now. She already thinks she's failed."

"Did she say something?"

"Just the way she responded. Everyone is nervous when they see a psychiatrist writing things down, and I must say my response to her answers probably did not help. She thinks she answered incorrectly, but the truth is I was just so stunned at someone so innovative. It was not what I was expecting by any means from the reports I was given. Well, I need to start typing up these reports to send along. The Pentagon never likes to wait. I will keep you updated, George."

"Thank you, Paul. I mean it."

"I know," Dr. Hanson smiled before leaving the office.

Kashoku avoided everyone for the rest of the day. She clung to the thought that Daniel would be back the next morning and knew that if SG-1 didn't return before her next test she would surely fail due to nerves alone. Thankfully, two hours before her test, she heard the sirens go off indicating an incoming wormhole. The Spiran wanted so badly to meet him at the embarkation room, but she knew there were briefings to be done. No, Daniel would come to her when he was done.

It was an hour later before there was a soft knock on the door and Daniel entered the room. Kashoku wasted no time bombarding him with questions about the mission.

"It was nothing special," Daniel responded, pulling up a chair.

"Sometimes that's a good thing," Kashoku smiled, glad that everyone on the team had returned unharmed.

"Yeah," Daniel returned the smile but the conversation with Colonel O'Neill seemed to haunt his mind. "Look, Kashoku, about you being on the team-,"

"Oh! Right! Dr. Hanson came yesterday. I have another test in an hour. It's some kind of questionnaire test. I don't know," Kashoku shrugged.

Daniel lifted an eyebrow. "He's already started the psyche evaluation? You've done the ink blots already? They sure wasted no time."

Kashoku gave an uncertain nod. "Yes, but I don't think it went very well."

"What do you mean?"

Kashoku leaned back on the bed and gave a sigh. "Mm, I don't think I answered right."

Daniel gave her an amused smile, "Kashoku, there's no right or wrong answer."

Kashoku's brown eyes narrowed in all seriousness. "That's what they want you to think!"

Daniel laughed ."I'm sure you did just fine. There really isn't a right or wrong answer, Kashoku. Psychologists just have this way of making you nervous about everything. I felt the same way as you did. Just be yourself and answer everything honestly. That's all you can do." Daniel sat back in his chair and sighed. He needed to tell her.

"Are you ok? Did something happen on the mission? You seem a little down," Kashoku frowned.

"Jack and I got in another fight," Daniel sighed, pushing his glasses back up onto his nose.

Kashoku nodded, "And it was about me, right? What did he say now?"

Daniel rubbed the back of his neck trying to figure out how he was going to tell her. "It's…" There was a heavy sigh.

"Daniel," Kashoku said as she placed her hands on his thigh, "What did I say about being honest? I think I've learned by now to take everything Colonel O'Neill says with a grain of salt." The Spiran gave a reassuring smile.

Daniel furrowed his brows and squinted his eyes before he blurted it all out, "When Jack recommended you for a team he meant just that '_a_team_'_. You aren't going to be put on SG-1." He waited for the disappointment on her face.

It didn't really come. Instead she gave a smile and a slight shrug, "That's okay. Secretly, I think I knew it was too good to be true."

"You're not upset?"

"Of course I am, but being on a team is better than being on no team at all, ne? I'll still be able to stay on Earth. I'm still happy, Daniel."

Daniel looked at her puzzled before he smiled. "You know, some days I think I know you perfectly and then others I don't feel like I know you at all."

Kashoku laughed, "Daniel we have only known each other for such a brief time. I don't expect you to fully understand me yet. Well," she stood, "I should probably go ahead and get going for the test."

"Do you want me to take you?" Daniel offered as he too stood.

Kashoku shook her head, "No, I'll be fine."

"Yes, you will be. This part of the test is extremely long though, so just hang in there. You'll want to pull your hair off by the end of it, I promise. Come find me in my lab when you're done."

Kashoku nodded, "I will. Ja." She opened the door to the room and began down the hall to the elevator. Somehow, even with the somewhat upsetting news, she felt so much better about everything.

"Ah, good morning Ms. Yoshiko!" Dr. Hanson greeted her as she entered the small room once more.

"Good morning!" She smiled brightly as she shook his hand and then sat down.

"Day two today. As I stated, this portion is a written test that is about 200 questions long. I have been informed that your written language is different than ours, so I'm going to read you the questions. You will not have to tell me your answer, just write it down on this sheet. It is very important to answer everything honestly so you have as long as you need. Remember, Kashoku, the only wrong answer is when you are dishonest." He pulled out the answer sheet and placed it in front of her with a pencil.

"I understand, Doctor." This time, she did, and the confidence was just pouring out of her.

"Very well then," he smiled. "First question. Do you have an intense fear of meeting new people or being in situations where you don't know people well?"

As promised, Kashoku went to Daniel's lab when she was finished with the test. He wasted no time in asking, "How was it?"

Kashoku sighed as she took a seat. "Long. You weren't kidding, but I think it went just fine."

"I'm sure it did. Sam and Janet invited us to lunch when you were done. You think you're up to some food?"

"Absolutely, I'm starving! I hope they have that blue stuff….what do you call it, again?"

"Ah, that would be the Jell-O. Artificial deliciousness."

Kashoku laughed. "I find it quite interesting that your people are able to create 'fake' food."

"It's not as interesting as you think. If you knew what went in it you wouldn't want to eat it."

"We-ll, I guess you'll just have to not tell me, then."

Daniel smiled and followed her out the door into the hallway, making their way towards the mess hall. They grabbed their trays and piled on the food before making their way towards the table that held Carter, Janet, and surprisingly Teal'c.

"Hey guys," Daniel smiled as he took a seat.

"Hey!" The girls responded back in unison, Teal'c simply giving an incline of his head.

"Haven't seen you in a while," Carter smiled.

"Ah, yeah. Been busy with Dr. Hanson," Kashoku responded as she grabbed hold of her fork to dig into her salad.

"How's that going?" Janet asked.

"Good," Kashoku smiled. "I just have the, um…,"

"Polygraph," Daniel chimed in helpfully.

"Right!" Kashoku nodded with a slight flick of her utensil. "That. I'm just ready for it to finally be over."

Janet gave her a reassuring smile, "Don't worry. Every one of us sitting here had to go through the same exact thing you did. It'll be over soon, and you'll be out exploring the galaxy like the rest of these crazy people in no time."

"Will they let me leave the SGC to explore your world once they clear me?" Kashoku asked before she took another bite.

"I don't see why not. Part of the treaty is teaching you more about our culture. If they clear you to join a team, they should clear you to leave as long as you are with one of us," Daniel said with a smile.

"I don't think I could survive on your world without one of you! I know nothing other than what you've told me. I found out rather quickly I cannot read your language," she said with a disappointed sigh.

"Right, sorry. I can help you learn the English system fairly easily. Japanese characters is another story."

"Hmm, not like I have anything better to do at the moment! I will teach you our writing system and Al Bhed, if you wish," the Spiran offered in return for his services.

"Like Daniel could ever turn down the chance to learn a new language," Carter grinned in amusement.

"I noticed in the books that your cities have very many buildings. Is it like that everywhere?" She asked curiously.

Teal'c took a small break from his large pile of food to provide her with an answer, "Earth is very different from our worlds. Both Chulak and Spira have smaller cities and people. Although Spira is much more advanced than Chulak, the population was not much larger. Earth has approximately 6 billion people living on the surface."

The petite woman's eyes grew wide. "That many!? How big is your planet?!

"Ooph," Carter winced slightly as she buttered a piece of bread with her knife, "not big enough. Too many people and not enough land to put them on."

Kashoku slid her now empty salad plate to the side to make room for the bowl of Jello-O and gazed into its jiggling blue depths. "I have a feeling that my first trip off is going to be something to remember."

The Airman let Kashoku into the same room she had met Dr. Hanson in for the previous tests for what she hoped was the last time. He was already waiting at the desk with a machine set up on the left side. With a confident breath she took a seat. "Good Morning, Dr. Hanson."

The older man peered up through his glasses from his hunched position and smiled. "Ah, Ms. Yoshiko. Pleasure to see you again. This is our final test. Do you know anything about it?"

A nod. "Yes. Some of the others here at the SGC have explained it to me."

With aging hands he shifted the glasses back up onto his nose and began sorting through some wires. "Good. I'm going to go ahead and hook you up to the machine." Once he was finished he sat up straight in his chair and took hold of his pen before returning to his hunched position by the polygraph. "Right then. We'll start off with something easy. Is your name Kashoku?"

"Yes."

"Very good. Now, do you harbor any feelings towards Dr. Jackson other than a friendship?"

Before Kashoku could even realize what she was doing she blurted out, "No!" A gasp escaped her lips and she slapped a hand to her mouth. She had just _lied_!

Dr. Hanson laughed. "Don't worry; I _wanted_ you to lie, Ms. Yoshiko."

Kashoku's cheeks were burning red in embarrassment. "I don't understand…"

"It's so I can accurately see what my results will look like when you tell the truth and when you lie. Really, what personal business you have with Dr. Jackson is not any of my concern. I'm happy to let George handle that one, although I would advise against it. Let's begin, shall we?"

With a heavy sigh of relief Kashoku attempted to regain her composure. She hardly found it amusing. "Yes."

"Alright. So you were a singer back on Spira?"

Kashoku nodded, "That's right. I wasn't always. I started off as a sphere hunter with Kage, but decided I wanted to do something else for a change."

"And what made you decide to sing? Seems like quite a drastic change in occupation."

"Hmm," the girl pondered, "Well, I suppose you can say that with Kage, it was hard to express myself. That and…I really wanted to do something for the people. Although there are many sphere hunters that search for spheres involving Spira's history, Kage wasn't in to that. She was in it more for personal gain and I just kind of followed suit. Singing allowed me to bring joy to the people of Spira while at the same time letting them know what I was feeling inside."

"So if you were happy being a singer, why the persistence to join as a member of the SGC? What is the real reason for you coming here?"

Ah, this question again. "I don't expect everyone to understand my reasons for coming. Most people would say it was for Daniel. It was…sort of, but not really. I don't feel that I could sacrifice everything I had for a simple tug of a string that was acting on my heart. The opportunity to explore different worlds and learn about other cultures excites me. I'm _curious_. And if my abilities as a mage can help save your lives while you explore to help save the lives of others from the Goa'uld, then I am happy to do it." Out of the corner of her eye she could see him making markings on the paper, but she kept her eyes forward and did her best to ignore it. With a slight drumming of her fingers on her thighs she reminded herself this was the last time she would have to do this.

There was a soft knock on the door causing Carter to finally look up from her laptop screen. It was Kashoku. "Hey, done already?"

Kashoku nodded as she stepped through the doorway and entered the lab. "They really know how to drill you, huh?!"

Carter smiled, "It's fun for them to see you struggle. Can I help you with something?"

Kashoku shook her head and took a seat across from the scientist. "No, not anything in particular. Daniel is busy trying to translate something and I don't want to bother him. Oh!" Kashoku exclaimed, biting her lower lip as she cursed herself mentally. "That sounds so stupid of me! I don't want to interrupt your work either! I'll leave-,"

Carter laughed as Kashoku made to get up and grabbed hold of her wrist. "Sit down! You aren't bothering me, I promise! I could use some company!"

Unsure of herself Kashoku sat back down slowly and nervously. "Are you sure? I really don't want to get you in any trouble."

Carter gave a reassuring nod, "Really, I could use the break. I've been working non-stop on a report all day."

"Really Major Carter I-,"

"Please, just call me Sam. No need for the formalities with friends."

Kashoku blinked in uncertainty and confusion. "You…consider me your friend, Major-ah, Sam?"

Sam leaned forward on her arms closer to the desk and looked the singer straight in the eyes. "I don't know what everyone else has been saying to you or how they act, but you've proven yourself to me, Kashoku. Saving Colonel O'Neill-," With a remorseful look she turned away and swallowed hard.

Kashoku's heart sank at the emotion pouring from the scientist. It was a side she had not seen of her. "You care for him deeply."

With a grim smile she nodded. "I'm just really glad you were there to save him. I know we hardly know each other at this point, but I know enough to know that I at least _want_ to get to know you. Colonel O'Neill," she laughed and pinched at the bridge of her nose to regain herself, "he can just be extremely hardheaded."

"Unnn, so everyone says!" Kashoku said with a playful hint to cheer the scientist up. "Demo, I succeeded in befriending Kage in the end. Colonel O'Neill is not so different from her, I think. I just have to think of it as a challenge!"

"Oh, you've got a challenge ahead of you alright!" Sam finally gave a genuine smile. With a heavy sigh of relief a thought hit her. "Hey, you said that you haven't learned much about our culture because you can't read yet, right?"

Kashoku nodded, "Yes. I was able to see the picture, but that's all!"

Sam turned her attention back to the laptop and after typing a few things and browsing through some pages she turned it so the screen was facing Kashoku. "How about I show you the most important thing?"

Kashoku leaned forward to look at the screen. "What's that?"

The blonde scientist grinned, "Online shopping."


	8. Chapter 8

Kashoku gave another heavy sigh as her chin sunk even deeper into her hand. Darkness was slowly but surely winning out in taking over as her eyelids grew heavier and heavier from boredom. With a small moan of contentment she let her body begin to ease into a light slumber.

"Ms. Yoshiko!" The door to the temporary facility slammed open startling Kashoku awake and up onto her feet in an instant.

"What is it?! What's wrong?" Kashoku had her finger already by the trigger of her P-90 and ready to cast any spells necessary.

Dr. Redford took off his glasses and wiped his forehead with a cloth before putting them back on. "We're all starting to get a little worn out from all the research, but we still have so much to do. Could you cast some spells to give us a boost?"

The ex-singer's nostrils flared in resentment. Not once had she used her magic for something _useful_ on any of the missions she had been on. As calmly as she could she responded, "Dr. Redford, you and your team should really rest. I cannot continue to cast spells on you. It is not good for your health or for mine."

Almost immediately upon the completion of her last test with Dr. Hanson, she was cleared to be put on a team. She had gotten everything she had wanted out of being on Earth, and yet she felt totally useless and unhappy. General Hammond had assigned her to SG-15 and all they had done was baby-sit Redford and his team of scientists on this planet. They had yet to see even the slightest hint of anything that was potentially life threatening.

"But we have so much more work to do! I don't understand, why can't you-,"

"I believe she said no, Redford," A stern voice snapped from behind the doctor. "Why don't you scurry on out of here and take a break before I knock you into a forceful sleep," the brunette soldier scowled. Redford scampered out like a rat.

The team leader of SG-15 frightened Kashoku somewhat. The man always seemed to have a scowl on his face ready for war. He hadn't been mean to her, but he hadn't been particularly nice, either. "This is ridiculous. I'm sorry, Major Ellis." The first time Kashoku met him she had been extremely intimidated and had probably cowered a bit. Daniel told her he had top military training, once taking out an entire convoy with a weapon they called a sniper.

He took a seat across from her and ruffled a hand through his brown hair as he laid his patrol cap upside down on the table. "For what? Dr. Redford was full of crap to come in here and bother you for that."

She folded her arms and leaned up against them, happy that her team leader was sticking up for her. "I meant this entire situation. I feel like it is my fault that you and your team are stuck here doing absolutely nothing."

"Someone _has_ to come out and baby-sit these morons whether you're here or not," Ellis gave a slight shrug.

The comment didn't help ease the harsh truth that they were stuck sitting there. "Is it wrong that I wish for a group of Jaffa to come strolling through the door?"

For the first time since their meetings, Ellis gave a curt laugh, "Not even your fifth time through the gate on our team and you are itching to pull the trigger. I would have never guessed it looking at you."

Kashoku frowned and sat more erect. "I used to fight plenty of fiends before I-,"

"Hey, no need to get defensive about it," Ellis interjected. "That's a useful tool. People will underestimate you." Reaching for his cap he clenched his jaw in irritation and boredom. "Come on, let's get out of here and go do something."

Kashoku eyed him curiously, "Like what?"

He shrugged. "Fuck if I know. Recon the woods again and hope we run into some Jaffa, I guess."

Kashoku laughed as she began securing her gear, "Sounds good to me." It wasn't perfect yet, but Kashoku felt like she was at least somewhat wanted and finding a place among her team.

When SG-15 finally did return to base, all any of them wanted to do was head straight for the showers and then home to bed. Doing a whole lot of nothing had made all five of them exhausted. A huge part of her was very thankful that Daniel had already left and gone home for the day. Pulling her still damp brown hair back into a messy bun she threw the rest of her gear into her locker and closed the door.

"Hey, you're back!"

Kashoku turned to see Sam headed for her own locker just a few down and she gave a slow nod. "Yes, and not a moment too soon."

The scientist's brow furrowed in concern as she took off her jacket. "Run into trouble?"

Kashoku took a seat and sighed, "No. That _was_ the problem. We did absolutely nothing the entire time. Dr. Redford's team just kept harassing me to cast Pray on them so they didn't have to sleep. It got annoying rather quickly."

"Well," Sam began as she sat to untie her boots, "I suppose it's not surprising that some people are going to take advantage of your magic. I totally understand where they were coming from, but it'll be bad news if we learn to be too dependent."

Kashoku nodded, "If people are truly injured or sick then I want to help them, but I am not going to do it just because it is more convenient for them. I don't mind it once in a while if there is a deadline approaching or some other circumstance, but _just because_ is not a valid excuse."

"Well, just hang in there. After you start running into Jaffa on _every_ mission you'll relish the ones like these." Sam finished changing into her civilians and shut the door to her locker. "Hey, do you have your clearance to go off yet?"

With a disappointed shake of her head Kashoku responded, "Not yet. General Hammond said it should come in within the next day or two, though."

The blonde slung her purse over her shoulder. "How about I go pick us up some food and bring it back, then?"

"Are you sure? If you need to get home I-,"

"Kash, it's fine. I'd like to have some company for a night time meal for once."

"You live alone?"

"Yup, just me."

"Well, ok. If you insist," she smiled.

The next morning SG-15 was given a brief on their next mission. Finally, they had been given something to do other than watch Dr. Redford's team. This was a real mission. P59-541 was a trading partner with a planet SG-13 had visited not long prior. They had told the team that their trading partner had been having some "difficulties" and requested the famed warriors from Earth look into it. Naturally, no one bothered to elaborate further.

The Myteans had obviously been expecting them when they walked through the gate and the locals practically bowed down to them. News seemed to travel fast in the galaxy, even for those who seemed much less advanced than Earth or Spira. The Myteans had technology that reminded Kashoku of the anti-machina age on Spira, but they were apparent pacifists and whatever problem they were dealing with was not being solved.

"So we have no idea what we are up against here?" Kashoku asked Major Ellis as they were led to their leader by one of the locals.

Ellis shook his head. "Not a damn clue. This happens more times than not. I don't have a spectacularly great feeling about this considering they are all so quick to avoid the subject. Makes me think that whatever it is, we'd leave and not help if we knew."

"Well you wanna know what I don't like? I don't like that everyone seems so god damned _relieved_ to see us, sir," the newly promoted Captain Wells added, his finger twitching extremely close to the trigger as his olive eyes narrowed. "Gives me bad vibes."

"Yeah, like something is just sitting back waiting to strike," Captain Carr agreed. He was several years older than Wells, but still had a fresh face about him with shining blue eyes. He must have lived somewhere with a beach before coming to the SGC with skin like his.

Trying to keep the mood light, Wells changed the subject. "Word on the street is you have real cool shit on Spira. Is it true?"

Kashoku laughed, "That depends. What do they all say?"

"That you have hovercrafts and transport devices and can change clothes without moving a muscle."

Kashoku couldn't help but notice his huge and very attractive smile. She couldn't be sure, but she thought she saw a wink thrown into the mix. "We-el, those things are true."

"I'm sure I'm not speaking for myself when I say we'd find it really, ah, _educational_ to see how the whole clothes thing works," Carr grinned with a wiggle of his eyebrows in Wells's direction.

The silent Lieutenant Rodd finally spoke from his position in the rear, "You hardly want to see them for educational reasons. I'm the only one around here who would want to study them for those purposes. " There was a southern drawl to his words and a face that looked too young to be out here holding a gun.

"I'd be happy to show you what you are interested in, Lieutenant," Kashoku smiled to the younger man.

Major Ellis gave both captains and the lieutenant a suspicious, yet amused, look. "What is it you two really want; to learn about how they work or see her wearing hardly anything, huh?"

"Oh, wait, what?! You _stay_ mostly naked after you change?" Carr asked, his voice laced in betrayal at the lack of knowledge.

"Jesus fucking Christ, what are you two, horny and twelve, huh? My kids have better manners than the two of you," Ellis scowled.

Kashoku laughed, amused at the light-heartedness of the conversation. "My people have no shame in their bodies, and the temperatures on Spira are quite tropical. Wearing a lot of clothing would not be practical except as extra protection against fiends."

Their conversation came to an abrupt end as the villager ran a card through a security system and the doors opened to a building. They were silently led to a small room with a single desk at the far wall with whom they assumed to be their leader sitting behind it.

"Ah, so you are the warriors from Earth; the famous SG-1!" The graying-haired man said with a look of relief.

The veteran soldiers of SG-15 looked at each other with agitated looks. Major Ellis let out a slight cough before cracking his neck and correcting the leader, "I'm sorry, but we aren't SG-1. We're SG-15, but we'd be happy to assist in whatever problems you are having."

"I see," the man said with a disappointed shadow in his eyes. "You are still warriors, I hope?"

"Very much so, sir," Ellis nodded. "If you'd just let us know what is going on, we'd be happy to help if we can."

With a heavy breath in through his nostrils he nodded. "Forgive me. My name is Lhian."

"I'm Major Ellis; this is Captain Carr, Captain Wells, Lieutenant Rodd, and Kashoku Yoshiko. What can we do for you?"

"I do not know how much you know about our planet, Major, but our main item of trade is our naquadah."

Kashoku noticed the other four members stiffen. The term was familiar, but she couldn't for the life of her remember where she had heard it or what it was. Whatever it was, it had to be very important to both sides.

"You have naquadah mines on your planet?" Captain Carr asked, his body growing tense for battle. "Sir, you know what this means."

Ellis turned his back to Lhian and huddled close to his team. He was biting his lip so hard he thought it might bleed. "God fucking – _shit._"

"I don't understand," Kashoku said apologetically. "What is naquadah, again? What has Colonel O'Neill done?"

"Naquadah is what the Stargate is made out of," Rodd explained. "That means that their 'problem' is that some Goa'uld has decided he wants control of the mines and this planet. Explains all the technology we saw, sir."

"You might just get your chance to shoot some Jaffa," Ellis jabbed his pointed finger into the vest on Kashoku's chest.

"Is something the matter, Major?"

Major Ellis whipped back around and gave the best fake grin he could. "No, my apologies."

Lhian inclined his head and acknowledgement and continued on, "We were recently visited by strange men in armor demanding we leave our planet."

"Let me guess, they had tattoos on their forehead?" Wells asked irritably, "Big, bulky, look scary as fuck."

"That is correct. You know of them?"

"Jaffa," Ellis groaned. "What did the symbol look like? Did they say who their leader was?"

"The symbol looked like nothing to me, but they said the name Cronus."

"Gre-eat!" Wells grinned with false bravado, "A System Lord! I can't wait."

"And what exactly do you want us to do?" Major Ellis asked with crossed arms.

"Make them leave."

Captain Carr bust out with laughter and received a harsh elbow to his stomach that had him silenced immediately. Major Ellis cast him a glare before turning back to Lhian."Sir, I don't know how much you know about the Goa'uld, but you don't just negotiate peacefully with these people. You aren't going to get them to leave."

"I have heard that the Tau'ri have negotiated with these Goa'uld in the past. I do not understand why you cannot do so now," Lhian said in frustration.

"I don't think you fully understood what it meant when they said we 'negotiated'. By that they meant we had to fight and kill a bunch of Jaffa, and getting in a fire fight here is not really something I want to do. We aren't equipped for that nor do we have enough men. I'm not putting my team in danger for this. I'll talk to my leader about it, but the five of us aren't negotiating anything."

Lhian sank back deep into his chair. "Major Ellis, we are a peaceful people. I do not want this to result in a fight, but I would be willing to negotiate a supply of naquadah in exchange for your people handling this problem discreetly."

Major Ellis glared with dark eyes. "It doesn't matter what you are offering, I have to talk it over with my leader."

"Then do so and return to me with your answer."

The team turned and made their way out of the room, their mood all sour. Rodd was surprisingly the first to speak. "Sir, call me crazy, but something doesn't seem right about all of this. For a peaceful people, he sure was ready to have us fight for him. I also," he seemed hesitant at first to say it, "I'm also skeptical of all that technology at their fingertips. I'm not buying the pacifist act.

"Damn right I don't buy their fucking pacifist act," Major Ellis agreed.

"Is this sort of event common? Do the people always expect the Tau'ri to solve their problems for them?" Kashoku asked curiously.

"Yeah, and 98% of that comes because of SG-1. They have a knack for getting into trouble and miraculously getting out of it. I don't have such luck. If General Hammond wants that naquadah, then he can send SG-1 to get it. I'm not putting you all in jeopardy for this."

"I believe General Hammond will agree with us on this matter," Kashoku stated. "Is this naquadah so important he'd put anyone's lives at risk for it?"

Carr shook his head in amusement. "You obviously don't get it."

Kashoku's eyes narrowed in annoyance, "No Captain, I don't. That's why I'm asking. You seem to forget that my dealings with the Goa'uld have been brief if non-existent."

"It's rare, it's strong, and it's important. General Hammond may agree with us, but the President won't. It's all about politics. Either way, let's head back to the gate and send a transmission," Ellis ordered.

They had hardly made it two hundred meters outside the door before Kashoku spotted several armed men headed their way from the corner of her eye. "Jaffa are coming." She was surprised that she had been the first to realize it, but she readied her weapon.

"Shit," Ellis cursed as he took his weapon off safety. "Let me do the talkin'."

"Somehow I don't think talking is going to do much good," Wells argued as he took cover by a tree.

"We don't know what else is out there, yet," Carr responded. "We need to try and take them out quietly without attracting more of these guys."

Carr's suggestion did no good. One of the Jaffa had already seen them.

"Tau'ri!" The First Prime hissed as his followers lowered the weapons upon the team. "This planet belongs to Lord Cronus! The naquadah is ours."

"This planet belongs to the Myteans, and we don't want the damn naquadah. You tell Cronus to leave these people alone." Ellis knew at this point they were screwed. From his peripheral he could see at least two dozen Jaffa closing in on them.

The First Prime's nostrils flared in rage. "You will kneel before your God! Jaffa Kree!"

Kashoku didn't even have to think about it before the blue shield was around the team. It absorbed the golden energy blasts from the staff weapons in a brilliant flash. It was enough to stun the group of Jaffa long enough for a round of P-90 fire to take the immediate threat out. She could hear the shouts of more in the distance. "We should go! Now!"

"Dammit!" Wells flailed, "There will be a herd of them covering the gate after hearing all this fucking racket. We're going to have to find a way to take them out!"

"Come on, let's move!" Ellis shouted and led the way towards the woods.

The adrenaline rush caused Kashoku to simply follow suite, but the questions were running through her brain a mile a second. Once they were deep enough in the woods she began her questioning as they slowed their place due to the density. "Major, you can't expect to try and take the Jaffa on. If it weren't for me back there-,"

"Look Kashoku," Ellis began, his tone bitter and condescending, "There's a reason we are not the original SG-15. People die at the SGC. People die all the time. Sometimes, there is just no way out."

Kashoku was taken back by his comments and did not respond. Instead she concentrated on where she was stepping and the sounds of shouting close by. When they came close to the gate Ellis stopped them and rallied them by a tree for concealment. He pulled out a pair of binoculars and began to look through them. "I count at least five. Who knows how many there really are. As soon as we start firing the ones that headed towards the city will start coming back. We need to make this quick."

"I will cast Protect on all of you. It will allow you to move shortly without fear of being hit," Kashoku said. "I'll concentrate on keeping your shields up as long as possible so that we can dial the gate."

"Wells, you stay with her," Ellis ordered.

Wells gave a firm nod as he took position up next to her, "Yes, sir!"

The team leader secured his binoculars and readied his weapon. "Rodd and Carr, you're on me."

"Got you covered, sir," Carr nodded.

Kashoku let the magic begin to build within her body, the tips of her fingers glowing blue. Concentrating all her energy she cast Protect on all five members of the team. Never before had she cast a spell on so many people, but the bright blue shield formed in front of them all before shimmering away. "Alright, let's go!"

Ellis led the way with Carr and Rodd on his flanks. The soldiers' first instinct was to duck for cover as the staff blasts shot off around them in brilliant yellow light, but after a shot hit Carr's shield and was absorbed effortlessly the trio attacked in full force.

"Come on, let's move closer," Wells said with a nod of his head and weapon at the ready. He led the way but stayed close out of impulse to their newest member. Like the others, he automatically dodged behind a tree for cover as they moved. His olive eyes widened as he watched a blast aim right for Kashoku. "Watch out!"

Kashoku hardly flinched as the blast impacted and gave him a comforting smile. "Relax. This is why they put me on a team."

Almost in a trance the captain lowered his weapon and stared with his mouth open wide. "Holy shit, you really are straight out of a Marvel comic."

"I'm not sure what that-," her train of thought was interrupted as she felt the surge of power and confidence beginning to drain. "Their shields are fading. Come on, I need to get closer to recast. That was too quick for my liking." With an about-face on her heel she bounded closer until she got the three in her sight. More Jaffa had come. They were getting overwhelmed. With a deep breath she made her decision. "Go dial the gate."

"What the hell are you talking about? I've got orders to stay with you."

Kashoku looked at him with serious brown eyes, "I said go dial the gate. I'll cover you."

Wells raised an eyebrow at her demanding tone. "Oh, I wasn't aware they put you in charge around here."

Kashoku breathed out heavily in annoyance. "You are as stubborn as Kage. Fine, then tell the others to dial the gate as we take the lead in defense."

Wells secured his patrol cap down onto his head and gave a playful smirk. "Well, yes ma'am. Lead the way."

Kashoku drowned out her companion's voice as she focused all her senses into the magic flowing within her. Out of the corners of her eyes she watched as the others began to fall back. All of the Jaffa had eyes on her. Energy surged through her fingers once more in a shining blue as she cast the spell on herself and a now crouched Wells by her side. The frustration of not being able to get through her shield caused an intensity of fire at her. The magic was draining fast

Wells was cussing loudly over the sounds of fire around them. With a pass over his shoulder he noticed the water-like substance of the event horizon settle into the ring. "Let's go!"

Kashoku knew the shields would not hold back to the gate if she wasn't in full focus. "Go." With another surge of energy she strengthened his shield.

"Are you out of your mind!? We gotta go!" He shouted as he slung his now useless P-90 back behind his shoulder and pulled out his Berretta.

"I can't hold this much power without concentration! Go! I will make sure you get to the gate!" Already she could feel she needed to up the strength, but she did not know how much she would be able to give. The adrenaline was the only thing keeping her standing up right.

Wells stood up and sheathed his gun. With no warning given, the captain grabbed Kashoku by the waist and sloppily hoisted her up onto his shoulder.

"What are you doing?!" Kashoku shouted as the wind whipped through her lose hair as her sudden captor ran.

"I don't know how you people do it on Spira, but we don't leave our people behind on Earth!" Wells shouted.

Kashoku looked up at the Jaffa. They had momentarily stopped firing but they were powering up for another round. Looking back Kashoku realized she had to cast again. Gripping his shoulders tightly she hoped what she had would be enough to get them through. Closing her eyes she willed all she had left into another shield.

When her eyes opened it was from shock and pain as she was slammed hard against something. Voices were shouting all around her. When the world stopped spinning she realized she was in the gate room and she had crashed onto the ramp with the weight of Wells on top of her.

"Kashoku!"

She felt so exhausted that the effort to respond hardly seemed worth it.

"Kashoku!"

"Yeah!" She piped up, trying to rise but only making it as far as lifting her head off the ramp before letting it fall back down.

"You ok?!" Wells asked as he hovered over her.

"Yeah…jus'…tired," she breathed.

Wells grabbed hold of her torso and swung one arm across his shoulders to help hoist her to her feet, letting her weight lean up against him. "You saved our asses out there." His voice was soft and comforting.

"Is everyone alright?!" General Hammond's voice boomed in haste but concern.

"We'll live," Major Ellis nodded as he took off his cap with a heavy and relieved sigh. For a minute there he was so sure none of them would see this place again.

Hammond nodded. "If it's nothing serious, then downgrade and meet me in the briefing room in one hour. I want to know what happened."

"Yes, sir," they all muttered tiredly.

"You sure you're ok?" Wells asked in deep concern. She wasn't just leaning against him, she was supporting her entire weight on him and the color in her face was gone.

Kashoku nodded slowly, "I will be. That was just a lot of spell casting. Those staffs drain the shields pretty quickly. They are pretty impressive. Kage would like them."

Ellis walked back up the ramp and curled his arm around Kashoku's body opposite Wells. "There is _definitely_ more than meets the eye when it comes to you. Thanks."

Many times she had gone on missions with Kage and had saved her from raging fiends, but not once had she ever been thankful for it. Not like this; not with such pure passion. These people _needed_ her. Mustering up the energy she smiled, "It's what I'm here for."

"Thank you, ma'am" Rodd said with a firm nod, removed patrol cap to reveal his ginger hair.

"Way to save face, Kashy," Carr added with a playful punch to her shoulder. "I owe you a six pack."

"A six pack of what?" Kashoku asked as her two teammates began walking her down the ramp.

Carr laughed and grinned, "I'll buy you one and you can see for yourself."

"Party later," Ellis said. "Turn in weapons and get cleaned up so we can get this briefing done and go home."

"Sir," the two nodded in acknowledgement and headed out in front.

When they reached the locker rooms the two men separated themselves from Kashoku once they were sure she could stand unsupported. Wells took her weapons and slung the P-90 over his back. "I'll turn in your weapons for you. You going to be ok or should I join you?" He gave a playful wink.

Ellis grabbed hold of the captain's sleeve and yanked. "Did you not once pay attention to end-of-year briefs?"

"Nope," he responded.

Kashoku laughed, and it felt good. "Thanks. I'll meet you in the briefing room." Ever so slowly she pushed the door to the locker room and headed for her locker in the darkened room. When she could see her name printed in black letters she sat on the wooden bench and let her head hit the metal with a loud clank closing her eyes.

Hammond was shuffling through a pile of paperwork when there was a knock on the door. Grateful for the interruption he sat back in his chair, "Come in." He was surprised to see Major Ellis walk through twenty minutes prior to the time he had given for the briefing. "Major, what can I do for you?"

"Sir," he said at attention in front of the general's desk, "permission to speak freely."

Well, this was sure to be interesting. Hammond nodded and extended his hand towards the seat, "Sit, son. You've had a long day. What's on your mind?"

Ellis declined the offer and simply put himself at ease. "I know things got better once Kashoku saved Colonel O'Neill's life, but from my understanding there are still some doubts circulating around here. If they had seen what she did out there today they'd pull it out real quick and smoke themselves into the ground. I know that if I ever hear some of these accusations I'd personally haul off and punch them in the face so hard they wouldn't ever be able to say it again. I don't even care that it would have me dishonorably discharged from the Air Force quicker than I could blink; she's the reason I'll be going home to see my wife and kids tonight."

Hammond leaned forward and with a heavy and sympathetic sigh he began, "Son, I can assure you that Colonel O'Neill's thoughts on the issue have changed and that most of the personnel here are very grateful for her assistance."

Ellis gave a grunt of disbelief. "Fine, then I guess we'll stick with the fact our asses would all be pixie dust blowin' in the wind if you hadn't assigned her to our team. Just thought I'd let you know in case _you_ had doubts, sir.

"I don't, but we'll talk more about it when the rest of your team arrives. I'm thankful you all returned unharmed," Hammond said with full sincerity.

"Kashoku…"

"Kashoku."

Kashoku's eyes popped open and her pounding headache instantly began throbbing. With a wince she blinked and focused herself once more. Sam was smiling with a bit of concern at her.

"You ok?" The scientist asked.

"Yeah…" She rubbed at her forehead and then realized suddenly, "The briefing!"

"Over and done with," Sam laughed. "They were worried about you. Wells was about to bound right in here to be your knight in shining armor. Major Ellis asked if I'd check up on you. I don't envy you."

"Hmm?" Kashoku asked as she slowly began gathering items to take a shower, since she had yet to clean up.

"You have every man in this facility lining up to try and win your affection after all that you've done here."

"What!?" Kashoku exclaimed with surprise.

"Captain Wells is _smitten_ with you!" Sam said as if it were completely obvious.

"We're just teammates," Kashoku said sternly in denial. "We've known each other all of two weeks!"

"Oh, I know that, you know that, but I think he's struggling with that idea! And come on, you can't tell me you've had a crush on someone after only spending a few days with them. Do you know how much it turns a guy on around here for a woman to kick ass?

Kashoku's cheeks turned bright red in embarrassment. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

"Oh, I know," Sam grinned. "Maybe it's different on Spira, but around here even the grown men act like horny teenagers all the time."

Kashoku untied her hair and let it fall down around her shoulders. "I'm fairly certain that is the male gender of every species."

"I'll drink to that," Sam grinned.

She wondered if Wells had been standing outside the locker room the entire time once the briefing had ended. His face was filled with concern and instantly he was spewing out questions about her well-being.

"Captain Wells, I assure you that I am fine. I told you that magic takes energy. I just fell asleep from exhaustion, that's it. I appreciate your concern," she hoped the smile was enough to convince him.

Thankfully, that did the trick. "You hungry?"

Relieved that he had finally let the subject of her health drop she responded, "Starving, but the mess hall isn't open anymore is it? We weren't supposed to come back until tomorrow…"

"Don't worry, I went out and got us something while you were with Major Carter," he grinned, proud of himself for thinking ahead and preparing.

Well at least he hadn't been waiting the entire time. "Oh, well, not that I don't appreciate it, but do you not have anyone to get home to?" She asked curiously. The other members of her team had talked eagerly about going home to their families.

"Just the dog, but he's pretty self sufficient. He can let himself in and out and he's got enough fat stored in his belly to last him at least a week if not more," he explained as he shoved his hands in the pockets of his khaki's as they walked down the hall towards the elevator. "Plus, I have good neighbors that watch out for him."

"You have a dog? I miss seeing animals. It's so…_dull_ at the SGC. I mean, it's not really dull, a lot goes on here but-,"

"Monochromatic," He nodded as he pressed the up button. "Not much color around here. You'd like Justice. Maybe once you get clearance you can come meet him."

Kashoku smiled as the doors opened and they stepped in, "Yeah, I'd like that."

When they arrived at the mess hall, both were shocked to see the rest of the team sitting at a table with food, drinks and cards splayed across the top.

Wells cast her a knowing smile. "Some of may have some families to go home to, but thanks to you they'll be able to actually see them."

Holding up a pack of drinks Carr smirked in Kashoku's direction. "Bought you that six pack I promised."

"Drinks?" She asked somewhat confused, but then the smell hit her, "Ah, alcohol," she chuckled nervously.

"Come on, it's just beer. I promise it won't knock you out," Carr assured as he dangled a bottle in front of her. "As long as you don't drink too much…"

"Well," Kashoku said unsure, but his almost pouty lips caused her to give in. "Ok. I might as well give it a try." She took the open bottle from the captain and took a small sip. It was an _odd_ taste, but not like the drinks on Spira. "Not that I'm not grateful for all of you being here but, it _is_ late and I know you all would rather be home."

Ellis put down his drink and gave it a few swirls on the table before answering, "I called my wife as soon as we got out of the briefing. I told her that I wasn't going to be home for dinner. It didn't surprise her, and she didn't bother to ask because she knows I'm not allowed to talk about work. But I told her why. I told her that my newest teammate had saved my ass today and that if it weren't for her I wouldn't be coming home ever again. She told me to give you a kiss and a hug as well as a big thank you. I'm not the emotional type, so you can give yourself a kiss and a hug."

"Oh, man, he's such a fucking liar! This guy is such a freakin' softy when not wearing a uniform!" Carr said, calling his team leader's bluff.

"Yeah, you wanna see how fucking soft I am?" Ellis growled defensively.

Kashoku laughed, "Well, I guess the thank you is enough, then. Really I…I don't know what to say. White magic is so normal on my planet that this…this was just an everyday thing. Well," she stopped and gave a chuckle, "maybe not every day. I have to say the Jaffa put up way more of a fight than any fiends ever have."

"Maybe that's so, ma'am, but we aren't used to that here," Rodd spoke, his southern accent coming out even thicker than normal in his tired state. "We would have all been dead."

"Jesus Christ stop being so damn doom and gloom about this shit," Wells said as he flipped open the pizza box, "Let's just eat, drink, and be merry."

"Cheers!" Carr grinned in agreement.

"Guess what!" Kashoku bounded in to Sam's office with a grin plastered to her face.

Sam was actually startled as she looked up from her laptop. "What?"

Kashoku held out a small card out to Sam. "I got my clearance!"

Sure enough, Kashoku had a passport. They had done the same for Teal'c, with the background story of him being an immigrant and eventually becoming a citizen and working for the government. Kashoku would be able to pull it off almost flawlessly once she learned a bit more, where Teal'c had to always have someone at his side watching like a hawk at what he said and did.

"Great! What are you going to do first? Daniel going to take you somewhere?" She asked as she handed the ID back to the Spiran.

"He said he would, but…" She trailed off with a frown.

Her eyes furrowed. "What's wrong?"

"I haven't been off-base yet, so I can't be totally accurate, but based on what I've seen you and SG-15 wear on their way out I don't have appropriate clothing," she said.

Sam nodded in understanding. "Ah. Yeah. That's probably true. Well, nothing would make me happier than taking you shopping, but are you sure you don't want your first time off to be with Daniel?"

Kashoku smiled, "I have a feeling I'll be able to explore your world with Daniel plenty of times, but something tells me he'd suffer and perform poorly with trying to buy me clothes."

Sam closed her laptop and looked at her watch. "What do you say we kidnap Janet and head out of here a little early? I'd consider this official business anyway."

Kashoku's eyes lit up. "Really?! But," her shoulders slumped, "I can't wear this off-base, can I?"

Sam thought for a moment and suggested, "Janet is only a little taller than you. Her clothes might be a little big but they should fit you well enough until we get you stuff of your own."

Kashoku nodded happily as Sam finished closing up the lab. "Ok, let's go!"

Janet had comfortable workout clothes consisting of grey leggings and bright blue tank top. The running shoes were a little big, but Kashoku simply tied the laces super tight and they were manageable. The three were walking down the hall towards the elevator when they ran into a very perplexed looking Wells.

"Whoa, where are you going?" Wells asked as he looked at Kashoku.

"I got my clearance!" Kashoku called out as they continued walking past them. "We're going shopping!"

Wells' mouth dropped. "Wh-buy her bar clothes," he shouted pointing to Sam and Janet, "Like today! Tonight! We're going!"

Kashoku blinked. "Bar clothes? Is there a specific dress code when one consumes alcohol on this planet?"

"Yes and no," Janet said with a smile, "We'll explain everything when we get to the mall. It'll probably be easier just to show you."

"I'd watch out tonight, if I were you," Sam warned as she punched the button on the elevator for their floor, "They are going to try and get you drunk."

"Oh," Kashoku sighed, "They'll probably succeed. I get persuaded rather easily. I suppose it's a good thing we aren't scheduled for anything until after the weekend."

The elevator doors opened and they headed towards a large area with several guards on post. Both Sam and Janet swiped their cards in a machine, and Kashoku followed suit. She figured that must be how they kept track of who came and went from the base. A nervous feeling rose in the pit of her stomach as they walked passed the soldiers standing guard and out into a large garage with the transportation vehicles Kashoku had seen in some of the books Daniel had given her. What was everything going to be like when she finally saw the sky?

They approached a small blue car that must have been Janet's as she pulled out keys and unlocked the vehicle. Kashoku opened the door to the back and filed into the seat in behind Janet. "Are most of the people on the planet limited to ground travel? It seems that it is far less practical than flying."

"Anyone can fly," Sam began, "but it's expensive and very few people have their own plane. There are way too many people on Earth for us to travel like you do on Spira. Aircraft would be crashing into each other every second."

"Inconvenient doesn't even begin to cover it," Janet added as she backed out of her space. Shifting the car into drive she took off towards the light at the end of the garage. "So how much do we have to work with?"

"When I activated the card they gave her it had a $5,000 balance," Sam grinned. "We can splurge a little on her.

"Is that a lot on your planet?" Kashoku asked curiously. "I have no sense of your currency."

"It's like with everything, it just depends. To spend it all in one day is ridiculous, but you were given the money specifically for this purpose. That's close to what I make a month working at the SGC. Depending on what your job is you make more or less."

Kashoku's eyes brightened when she could finally see the blue sky. Daniel had told her they were in a mountain, but it was breathtaking to finally be able to see it. Not taking her eyes from the window she asked, "Do you make a comfortable living with your job?"

"I'd say so," Janet nodded. "I get to splurge every now and then, too, but my problem is I don't have the time to enjoy any of it. I haven't been to Spira, but it sounds like your people enjoy their time having fun more than working."

"People work," Kashoku shrugged, "but not like you all do here. I had plenty of money back on Spira, but I still lived in a nice tent rather than a house. I could have easily lived in a lavish mansion in Zanarkand, but it's not what I wanted. I think after Sin we just want to relish in the beauty of what life there is. Daniel was explaining the huge gap in the rich and the poor in your country and even in most of your world. It's a little hard for me to understand. I did make more money than the average person on Spira, but we have no poor; only those who choose to live simple."

"Wish we could say the same," Janet spoke enviously. "America is all about money. Most of us spend the majority of our lifetime working so that we can have more money, but we rarely have the time to enjoy what we make."

"That's not living," Kashoku frowned. "You and Sam are at the SGC more than you are ever at home. Are you happy?"

"Well, there's a difference, I think," Sam said thoughtfully. "Janet and I really enjoy what we do. There is nothing my money could buy me on Earth to make me happy after what I've seen traveling the galaxy."

Kashoku smiled at her, but was quickly pulled away from the conversation when the city started peeking through as the trees diminished. "Oh, wow! It's huge!"

"Colorado Springs?" Janet blinked. "It's a big city, but hardly close to huge."

"I don't even think their largest city was as big as this," Sam explained. "Maybe acreage wise, but not as many buildings."

"Your world has so many people…" Kashoku said breathlessly. For a as far as she could see there was a distinct absence of trees in place for buildings both as tall as the sky and as small as her tent. Hundreds upon hundreds of the vehicles they called "cars" were traveling along the roads.

"So, where is it we are going?"

"We call it a mall. It's a huge building with tons of small shops in it," Sam tried to explain.

Kashoku nodded, "We have something similar in Zanarkand, I think." She let herself fall silent as Janet and Sam continued to talk in the front and she stared out the window.

The ride seemed to fly by for Kashoku as Janet had stopped and parked the car before she knew it. The Spiran couldn't believe how many vehicles were packed into one space. Unbuckling herself she opened the door and closed it behind herself. "Are there always this many people here?"

Sam nodded, "Usually. It's worse on the weekends and a nightmare during the holidays."

Kashoku's brow furrowed in confusion. "People do a lot of shopping during the holidays?"

"Ah, commercialism," Janet laughed. "Another thing Spira must luckily lack. The holidays aren't so much about being with the ones you love anymore, but instead of receiving expensive gifts." She opened the door and smiled, "Well, let's do this!"

All three of them were carrying bags by the time they had been to several stores. "That was fun!" Kashoku said with glee as they shoved the bags into the back of the vehicle and in the seat next to Kashoku's.

"It gets addicting rather quickly," Janet said. "Thankfully we are told what to wear most of the time so there isn't much point in shopping for clothes. You are going to have a lot more free time to go out with your boys than we will. I say we grab a bite to eat before taking you back, what do you say?"

"That would be great! I'm starving!" Kashoku nodded.

They stopped off at what they called a "Mexican" restaurant before taking Kashoku back to the SGC. The former singer had been adventurous and willing to try anything in the way of food. They received raised eyebrows that would give Teal'c a run for his money when they walked through the halls with the bags, but they finally made it to her room.

"Thanks so much!" Kashoku hugged each of them.

"You want some help putting everything up or you ok?" Sam asked.

Kashoku shook her head. "I'll be fine."

"Alright, well, we'll see you tomorrow. Don't work too hard!" Janet waved and the two left her in silence.

There was a knock on Kashoku's door that caused her to break from her practice of reading English. She had been catching on fairly quickly, but she had made sure to dedicate herself to it to learn faster. "Come in."

Wells opened the door in civilian clothes. She had thought he had gone home hours ago. "Get dressed. We're going out.

"I don't know which clothes are appropriate," she said in slight embarrassment, although she was excited at the opportunity to have fun. "Your fashion on this planet is very different from ours. Sam and Janet told me earlier, but it was so much that I've already forgotten."

"Where is the stuff you bought?" Kashoku pointed to a closet and he went and opened it. He looked through the clothes before picking out a black dressy tank top with beading and dark washed jeans. "Wear these with some boots and you're good to go. Meet me at the front gate on the first floor when you're ready to go, and I'll sign you out."

Kashoku nodded and began changing as soon as she he had left. She did her hair and make-up to the best of her abilities, still not used to the devices they used on Earth. Normally she could have done better, but it would suffice for the night. Once she was finished she headed up to the first level where Wells was waiting. She swiped her card and they headed into the garage.

"The rest of the guys are meeting us there. Ready for some fun?"

She smiled, "As ready as I'll ever be!"

As they walked into the bar, Kashoku concluded that they must be the same on every planet. It had screens playing sports just as they did on Spira, and people were lined up on bar stools watching and drinking. There were various sorts of games that people were playing that she had no clue about. One involved throwing arrows at a board and other hitting balls on a table with a stick. She wanted to ask about them, but figured they would get around to it at some point.

"I say we start her off right," Carr grinned as they approached the bar. "I'm thinking a shot. Rodd, you are taking one, too."

Rodd's face paled and he looked queezy, "Do I have to, sir?"

"Dammit, don't call me 'sir' when we are at a bar. It's weird," Carr frowned.

"If I were you I'd feel the waters before you started throwing things at her," Ellis suggested heavily. "We have no idea what the alcohol on Spira is like."

"Well," Kashoku began, "since they only thing I have to compare it to is what you call beer, our alcohol is much more potent."

"Yeah, well, beer is the least of your worries here," Wells said. "We can start her off with jäger or something."

"No!" Carr whined. "That's for sissies! Come on at least a shot of tequila!"

"Please not tequila," Rodd said with a worried face.

"Is it strong?" Kashoku asked curiously, noticing the apprehensive look from their youngest member.

"Just depends on the person. There are a lot of people who get fucked up much quicker on tequila than others. Rodd here is one of them," Ellis glanced over at the youngest member of his team.

"Yo!" Carr leaned way over the bar and snapped his fingers at the bartender, "Katie! Hit us up, baby!"

The brunette smiled, "Robbie! Hey! I haven't seen you in a while!"

"I know! Hey, guess what?" He hopped back off and took Kashoku into an unexpected and tight hug. "This here is our newest teammate, Kashy! She's kind of ignored alcohol most of her life. It's time to change that!"

"Hi," Kashoku waved nervously.

"Oh, you poor thing," she said sympathetically. "Robbie and Brandon are going to kill you. I see you managed to drag Jeremy _and_ Matt out tonight. Please be nice to Jeremy. He already looks tortured."

Carr sighed, "Katie, Katie, Katie. Have I ever landed anyone in the hospital?"

"Actually-,"

"Yeahhh, don't answer that. Look, why do you think _he _came along," Carr pointed to Ellis.

"To make sure your asses don't get arrested," he said with crossed arms. "Besides, I could use a few anyway…Amy is with the kids at some sleepover thing, so I should take my chance while I have it."

Katie laughed, "Ok, then. I'm cutting you all off from buying her drinks if I notice her getting bad. You are tiny!" She said in astonishment.

"Yeah, well, she could kick most of our asses," Wells mentioned, "but she's better at saving them." He gave her a wink.

"Hey," Kashoku frowned and pushed at him teasingly, "I'd rather you not need saving."

Katie smiled, "So what are we starting off with?"

"Five rounds of tequila shots, baby! First round is on me," He pulled out a card and put it on the table.

Ellis pulled a card out of his own wallet, "Buff Gold."

Wells did the same, "Corona."

"Got it," Katie nodded as she placed five small glasses down in front of them and began pouring a clear liquid into each. "What do you want after the shot?" She asked Carr.

"Ehhhhh, I'm hittin it hard tonight. Michelle is picking me up. Whiskey coke double, and don't pour me any of that well shit." He put a hand on Kashoku's chest. "Remember. Beer before liquor makes you sicker. Golden rule of drinking."

Kashoku looked to Wells for help. "What does he mean?"

"Basically, if you're going to drink beer drink it after you drink everything else. Never have beer then shots. Unless you're me or Carr. I'm pretty sure our livers are already dead so it doesn't matter. Katie, make her something pink. Girls like pink."

The bartender shook her head as she finished putting limes on each of the glasses. "Alright, there are your shots." She looked at Rodd with concern. "You want anything?"

"Water," the red-head said with a heavy voice.

"What?! NO!" Carr said quickly.

"Carr, if he doesn't want to drink, don't make him," Ellis said.

"Oh come on! The kid actually enjoys himself when he's drunk!" Carr argued.

"I don't enjoy myself in the morning!" Rodd fired back.

"No pleasure without pain," Wells said with a poke at his chest.

"For fuck's sake put a Jack and coke on my tab for him," Ellis growled. "I'll watch out for you, you'll be fine," he promised Rodd.

Carr handed out the shots and looked to Kashoku. "Ok. Taking a shot is easy. We all tap the glass on the table like so," he demonstrated, "and then you down it all at once. Got it? You're fruity bullshit that Brandon got you is right there to chase it with."

"What do you mean chase it?" She asked

"If you the shot is too strong or leaves a bad taste in your mouth, you drink your chaser," he explained.

Kashoku nodded, "Ok. I guess I'm ready."

"Ok, on three! One, two, three!"

All five of them tapped their shots against the wooden table top and down the liquid. Ellis, Carr, and Wells took the shots as if it were water. Rodd's face cringed in complete disgust as he reached for the Jack and coke. All Kashoku felt was the completely burning of her mouth, flinching as she reached for her own pink drink. Whatever it was Wells had bought her eased the burn and she could feel her face finally starting to relax.

"Ugh," she moaned, "That's more like Spira."

Carr grinned with a slap on her back. "That was an easy shot! We should do a 100-proof later!"

"And you do this almost every night?" Kashoku asked.

"Pretty much. Usually we come out with Ramirez and Bentley, but tonight is a team thing."

"Who are they?"

"They are part of SG-11," Wells said, "I'm sure you'll meet them soon." He took a swig of his beer and glanced at Rodd. "You ok, buddy?"

"Yeah," he said with a slight raise of his hand.

Wells leaned in closer with wide eyes and picked up the empty glass near Rodd. "Shit, did you take the damn whiskey as a shot, too?"

"The tequila burned!"

"Katie! Get him another on me!" He called out. "Are you tingling yet?" Wells knew he was a light-weight and that had been a lot to drink so quickly.

"Oh, yeah," he nodded. "We should play darts or something."

"Score!" Carr grinned. "He's already buzzed. Tonight is going to be good. He's not so boring when he's had alcohol. Come on! Let's go!"

Kashoku grabbed her drink and followed them towards the area where she had seen people throwing arrows earlier. "What is this game? What are you supposed to do?" She asked as Carr shoved three of the arrows into her hands.

"Those are darts. You throw them at the board for points. Basically," he walked up to the scoreboard and pointed, "You see these numbers? 15-20, then bullseye? You have to hit each of these numbers three times to close it out. The center mark is a bullseye. First to close out all of them wins."

Kashoku took it in for a moment then nodded. "Ok, I think I get it."

"If you hit the number in this inner ring it counts for three points, the outer counts for two. Anywhere in between is just one. You have to stand behind that line to throw."

Kashoku looked down and found that she was standing directly on the yellow tape. "You will remind me of the rules as we play, right?"

"Yeah, yeah. We have an odd number so who's sitting out first?"

"You guys go ahead and play, I'll just watch," Ellis said, perfectly content watching as this was soon to escalate given the amount of alcohol that was involved.

"I'll play with Rodd. Brandon, you got Kashy."

"Don't worry. Rodd sucks when he's drunk, but he's extremely entertaining. We are so going to win," Wells grinned.

"He doesn't seem drunk yet," Kashoku said with a raised eyebrow.

"He will be. I didn't buy him another Jack and coke," his smile was mischievous.

Kashoku frowned, "You are both mean." Kage had done such a thing to her on numerous occasions, so she felt for Rodd.

Wells laughed, "You don't even know what I bought you!"

"I wouldn't know even if you told me!" She pouted.

"Just watch," he said with a smile as Carr stepped up to the line.

Kashoku found out quickly that she was rather good at the game. It was in a round-about way like shooting a gun. Rodd had gotten progressively worse the more he drank, and was to the point he was taking drinks without question. They had been right that he seemed to open up with alcohol in his system. Kashoku swore she hadn't heard him talk that much in the entire time they'd known one another. The same, however, could be said for her. She felt practically _amazing_. It was like she wasn't here nor there but somewhere in between the world of the living and dead. Everything was funny to her.

Another one of her darts bounced off the board and she stomped her feet in rapid succession with a squeal. "No! Why is it doing that?!" her words were spoken in-between her giggles.

Wells put down his newly lit cigarette in the ash tray as he blew a puff off to the side, grabbing for her face to hold in between his hands. "Because you are drunk!"

"I am not!" She whined as she grabbed his wrists with a giggle.

Ellis gave an eye roll from the side. His entire team was a bunch of drunken fools. A par to of him was happy to see them having fun, but it _was_ his job to keep them semi-responsible. Rodd had already passed out in a chair; face down on a table off on the other side of the darts area. He was going to have to take the kid home. Thankfully, he lived in an apartment right on the way to his own house.

"Let's take another shot!" Carr declared. "I'm kicking your asses anyway!"

"Because she sucks!" Wells laughed as he blew out smoke, his other hand in his pocket.

"Shut up! _You,_" she drunkenly pushed him in the chest "suck!"

Wells laughed as he took a few steps back. "Go get us something good," he nodded to Carr.

Carr grinned naughtily as he headed for the bar. He and Wells had had more to drink than anyone, but it was clear they were used to it as they were effected the last other than Ellis who just hadn't had a lot.

"Are you sure another one is a good idea?" Ellis asked with wary eyes.

"I'm fine!" He assured him team leader as he knocked off the ash.

"I'm not talking about you, jackass. At least Rodd PTFO'ed before he started puking everywhere. You are playing dangerously close to that card with her. I'm honestly impressed she's lasted this long."

"Come on, do you remember your 21st?"

"No, but this is hardly her 21st."

"Might as well be! I doubt she ever celebrated it!"

"Got 'em!" Carr said as he came over carrying three shots.

"What did you get?" Wells asked as he took one for him and handed Kashoku hers.

"Now where is the fun in that? Kashy! Count us off in Japanese!"

"Ichi, ni, san!" Kashoku counted before taping her drink on the table and slamming down the shot. As soon as she had swallowed she gasped and held a horrible look on her face.

"Ah, shit!" Wells coughed. "Rumple!" The combination of the cinnamon and 100 proof liquor burned even _his_ throat.

Kashoku felt like someone had just injected alcohol straight to her brain. "Never," she cringed, "again!" Suddenly, she didn't feel so good. Grabbing onto Wells' arm she doubled over.

"I told you!" Ellis said with harsh eyes.

"Got 'ya covered!" Carr said as he grabbed a crash can and held it up to Kashoku's face. She grabbed onto it with her free hand and began to lurch.

Wells let her squeeze his arm and gathered her hair out of her face as she puked. "Yup. She had fun."

"Mission accomplished," Carr grinned. "I guess it's time to call it a night. I'll call up Michelle."

"You two got her fucked up, so one of you better take care of her," Ellis said, the frown finding its way back home on his face. "I'll take Rodd home."

"I got her," Wells said as she puked again into trashcan.

Ellis gently shook Rodd's shoulder. "Come on, kiddo, time to go home."

Rodd slowly roused awake, obviously feeling as miserable as Kashoku without the vomiting. Ellis grabbed a hold of one of his arms and helped ease him to the bar so he could close out his tab.

"That's gonna suck in the morning," Carr said as Kashoku continued to throw up.

Kashoku slowly lifted her head and put down the trash. "Bed…"

Wells laughed, "Yeah, I agree. Come on." He helped her to her feet where she immediately slumped into him, wrapping her arms around his slim waist. Slowly they made their way to the bar. "Katie, close me out."

Katie nodded and brought him his card and receipt. She also handed him a wad of bags. "You might need these for the drive home."

He signed the paper and took the bags from her. "Thanks. See ya later!"

"Be careful," she nodded as she turned her attention back to her other customers.

The cool Colorado breeze hit them as they exited the bar. Kashoku was constantly stumbling into him as they walked. "I hate you," she mumbled.

Wells smiled, "I bet."

"You smell funny."

He laughed. "So do you." He clicked the button on his keys to unlock his car and opened the passenger side to help Kashoku in. As soon as he was sure she was buckled in he closed the door and walked around to the driver's side. Looking over, she was already knocked out with her head against the window. Turning the key in the ignition he shifted the car into gear and took off

Kashoku awoke to something wet in her face and a tongue licking fiercely at her cheek.

"Justice, off!"

Her eyes opened and the golden face of a dog looked at her with bright eyes.

"Justice, get off!" Wells grabbed hold of the Irish Setter's collar and dragged him off the bed. "Sorry. How are you feeling?"

Like shit. Kashoku sunk back into the bed and covered her face with her hands. "I don't remember a thing. Are we at your place?"

"Yeah, sorry. I thought I could get you back to the SGC, but my house was a lot closer and it probably wouldn't have been a good idea for me to drive up the mountains with as much as I'd had."

"It's ok." Her head _hurt_. "Please tell me it's Saturday…"

"Nope," he said sympathetically. "We gotta go in today."

With a heavy groan Kashoku grabbed the pillow next to her and put it over her face. "I feel terrible," she grumbled.

"I'll grab you some water. You should shower. Oh, by the way, I washed your clothes for you. You sort of puked on them getting out of the car last night. I promise I didn't peak or take advantage of you," he said as he grabbed the pillow and revealed her face with a sly grin.

Kashoku frowned. "How do I know?"

"Guess ya don't!" He smirked.

She took the pillow and threw it at him. "This is your fault." She hoped Daniel hadn't made it in to the SGC yet wondering where she was…

"Actually it's Robbie's. I only bought you one drink." He stood and gave Justice a scratch on the head. "Shower is through there. I already put a towel out for you."

Kashoku nodded as she slowly pushed off the covers. She must have been wearing one of his shirts. Justice was looking at her with his ears back and a thumping tail. "Kawaii desu ne!" She scratched in behind his ears and his thumping increased. With a pat on the head she slowly rose to her feet and headed for the bathroom, turning on the water to as steaming hot as she could get.

The water subdued the headache, at least while she was in the shower. As soon as turned it off, however, the throbbing returned. It was a losing battle. Drawing back the curtain she saw her clothes folded neatly on the towel. Drying herself off and putting them on, she opened the door only to find Justice lying right outside it. Giving him another pat on the head she headed out of the bedroom into a long hallway. There were several framed pictures hung up on the cream colored walls. She could pick out Wells amongst the people in most of them.

"Here's some water," Wells said as he walked up and handed her a glass.

"Oh, thanks," she took it. "Is this your family?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Those two are my sisters Karen and Natalie, and my mom and dad."

She moved to another one and gasped. "Oh my gosh! Is that you?" It was of a very young boy and an older man in uniform near a jet.

He gave a small laugh, "Yeah, me and my old man."

"You were so cute!" She gushed. "I don't have anything like this from when I was younger. I don't even know what my parents looked like."

"Well, you'll just have to take a lot of pictures while you're here to make up for that," he said. "You want some breakfast?"

Kashoku's face lit up, "Yes! I thought I smelled food!"

"Better yet, it's real."

"Real?"

"It's better than the food you have to eat all the time; I'll put it that way." He handed her a plate and refilled her water. "It's a good thing we don't really have anything to do today. I have a feeling our office is going to be pretty dead."

"Poor Jeremy…I bet he feels just as bad as me."

"Eh, he'll live," Wells assured her.

They finished eating their food and Kashoku helped him clean the dishes before they grabbed their things and headed out the door. Kashoku slept most of the way to the SGC, the pain hardly subsiding at all since having woken up. The airmen gave her odd looks as she swiped herself in, but they didn't question her.

"Why are they looking at me like that?" She finally asked Wells as more and more people were doing it.

"Walk of shame," he grinned.

"What?"

"You're wearing clothes from the night before indicating you did something naughty enough you never went home to change," he explained.

"What? How do they know I wore them last night?"

"Because you don't wear clothes like that during the day unless you're a hooker."

Kashoku's cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Spira wasn't without prostitutes. She knew what he was talking about. Great. Crossing her fingers as they walked into the elevator, she hoped they didn't run into anyone before she was able to change in the locker room.

It wasn't meant to be. At least it was only Carr who knew what had happened anyway.

"Kashy! Walkin the walk of shame I see," he grinned.

How did he possibly still have that grin plastered on his face? "Please stop saying that," she sighed. Almost there…

"Hey, don't worry about it. We've all been there." He gave two thumbs up before stepping into the elevator they had just walked out of.

"See you in the office," Wells said as he went into the locker room.

Kashoku opened the door to the women's room and headed for her locker. With a heavy sigh that puffed out her cheeks she opened it and began pulling out her uniform.

"You look awful," Sam said as she walked up.

"I feel awful, too," She responded as she took off her shirt. "It's a pain not even my magic can cure. Just please don't tell me I'm walking the walk of shame. I've heard that enough."

Sam bit her lip trying not to laugh. "That's kind of what you were doing the entire way here. I told you they'd do that."

"And I told you they'd succeed…."

"Where did you stay?"

"Apparently at Wells' house. I don't remember anything."

"Ooph, I've been there before. It's pretty rough."

"I'm starting to realize this is a common thing to do on your world," she said as she pulled the green pants up and began to button them.

"Even more so among the military. Try and take it easy today. You might be feeling that for a while." She zipped up her jacket and gave a small wave before leaving.

Kashoku followed not long after and headed for the office she shared with Wells, Carr, and Rodd. Carr and Wells weren't doing much of anything and Rodd looked like he was already asleep at his desk. Taking a seat by her computer she leaned forward and rested her head on her hands. This was going to be a long day.


	9. Chapter 9

"Can I ask you a question?" Kashoku asked across the room to Wells. She, Carr, Wells, and Rodd shared a large office while Ellis had his own down the hall. Rodd took up the majority of the place with his studies on technology brought back, but it didn't seem the others needed more than a place for their laptop.

"Question away," Wells said, not taking his eyes off the screen in front of him.

"What do you and Carr do all day?" She asked curiously. Carr snickered which produced a frown on her face. "What's so funny?"

Carr grinned and looked over at her. "First of all; we got drunk and threw up with each other, so I think you can call me Robbie. Second of all; it's funny because we don't do _anything_."

"There isn't anything to do unless you are a scientist," Wells added. "We get briefings, go on missions, come back and write up the report, and then sit here and do nothing until we do that all over again."

"There are plenty of things you could be doing to be useful," Rodd commented, hunched over some circular object.

"Oh, really, you smart-ass? Like what?" Carr inquired with crossed arms.

Rodd twitched, his usually timid nature arguing with him internally as to whether or not he should say what was on his mind. "You _could_ be reading reports on off-world technologies, cultures, and languages so that when we went places I wouldn't have to do all the work."

"Whaaatt?" Both Carr and Wells whined.

"Then what the hell would we need you for, super-genius?" Carr asked.

Kashoku gave an amused smile, "Wouldn't it be more productive to do that then just sitting there?"

"Who says what we are doing isn't productive?" Wells sulked. "You have no idea what I'm doing."

"Ok," Kashoku said with a shrug of her shoulders, "then what are you doing?"

Wells smiled and gave a small laugh, "Playing solitaire."

"Lame," Carr mused. "Minesweeper is better. And before you criticize _us_, Miss I'm-Awesome-Because-I-Have-Magic Pants, what do _you_ do all day?"

Kashoku held up a book, "Practicing my languages. It's going to take me a while to learn your Japanese writing system. It's nothing like ours."

Wells raised a loathing eyebrow, "Yeah, you have fun with that."

Kashoku giggled, "Once I learn I could teach you and then you could say you have been productive with your days!"

"Yeahhh," he responded apprehensively, "you know there is a reason I don't speak anything other than English. Some of us simply aren't gifted in that area."

"Hmm," Kashoku pondered his response before asking another question, "Does Major Ellis play games all day, too?"

Carr snorted, "Major Ellis sits there and plans new ways to kill people all day."

Kashoku let out a sigh of disapproval, "I'm sure that's not true."

"None of us really know what he does because we don't bother him," Wells explained truthfully. "He comes in to talk to us, but really, I wouldn't put it past him if that's exactly what he was doing."

Kashoku sat there and thought for a moment before putting down her books and heading for the doorway without so much of a good-bye.

"Where the hell is she going?" Carr asked in surprise at her sudden departure.

"Wanna make a bet she's going to Major Ellis's office?" Wells's voice dripped in amusement.

Carr groaned with heavy displeasure, "Jesus. That girl is trouble. Someone needs to put a leash on her."

Rodd sighed. "You two are the ones who keep fueling the curiosity in her. And please, be quiet. I'm having a hard time concentrating with the two of you yammering on."

Carr glared daggers at the young red-head. "Well, look who grew some balls today. I think someone forgot what rank they were, LT!"

Kashoku knocked politely on the open door to Major Ellis's office.

Ellis looked up, his chin resting on his palm. He looked in a very similar situation as both Wells and Carr had in their office. "Kashoku, what can I do for you?"

Kashoku clasped her hands together as she stepped in with a small smile. "I was wondering if you wanted to grab something to eat."

"What, Wells and Carr already getting on your nerves? Don't feel bad, it happens to everyone."

Kashoku laughed and shook her head. "No, although I feel like maybe they could be a tad more productive than they are. They were defensive when I inquired as to what they did when not on missions."

Ellis smirked and rubbed at his face and neck. "Yeah, I bet they were."

"I feel like I know Robbie and Brandon fairly well already, but you on the other hand…I'm still not sure. Word on the street is you plan how to kill people in your office when not working on mission related items."

Ellis let out a full-hearted laugh. "Is that what they said?"

It felt good to see the stoic soldier laugh. "I assured them it couldn't be true."

"Ahh, well, only sometimes." When he saw the look on her face he let out another laugh, "I'm joking, Kashoku. I really don't do much of anything, either."

The Spiran let out a sign of relief. "Oh…well, if you don't want to go you don't have to, I just thought-,"

"Hey, I'll go," he guaranteed her, placing a stack of papers neatly off to the side before getting up. "It's good to get to know your people."

They walked together to the mess hall, piled food onto their trays, and took a seat at one of the empty tables. After making sure he was settled in Ellis asked, "So what is it you want to know? My entire life history?"

Kashoku laughed, "It's funny how so many of the people here are apprehensive about sharing personal information. I'm not really interested in how you became the person you are, just…who you are. You said you had a family?"

He nodded. "My wife Amy, and two kids; Jessie and Cody. Jessie is 11 and Cody just turned 8. Amy was my high school sweetheart for as long as I can remember."

"Aww," Kashoku smiled affectionately, "Are your kids boys are girls?"

He finished swallowing a bite of his meat before answering, "Jessie is a girl and Cody is a boy. How about you? I mean, obviously not married or have kids, but any brothers or sisters?"

Kashoku shook her head, "I had no one on Spira. I lost my parents to Sin when I was really young, and I have no siblings. What's really sad is that I don't remember their names. I only somewhat know my mother's face because she appears to me in the Farplane, but my father never does. It wasn't until after Sin's defeat that we had the sphere recordings and we had memories like your photographs."

"Farplane?" He asked with a furrowed brow.

"Oh," Kashoku breathed apologetically, "I forget that it was SG-1 I gave to the tour to and not you. The Farplane is our equivalent to your Heaven, according to Daniel. It is where the souls of our deceased go. You can visit a certain section of the Farplane safely and see the pyreflies – the souls. You can't talk to them, and they aren't _really_ them, but they make the image and during the time of Sin that was enough for comfort."

"Huh," he pondered at the thought of such a place. "I'm guessing though the Farplane isn't _all_ fun and games?"

"Mm, accessing the Farplane any other way than through Guadosalam is dangerous. Not all souls rest in peace. Some become monsters."

He poked at his vegetables for a second before asking out of left-field, "What made you want to leave? I'm just trying to understand why someone who had it all gave it up for…this. Granted, I haven't been to Spira, but it sounds a lot more interesting than Earth."

"That's only because it's different. Doesn't everyone get bored with what they have?" She asked. "We all want what's on the other side. I think that you, Robbie, Brandon, and Jeremy would really enjoy Spira, but it's old for me. Kage was really the only person I was truly close to on Spira, and even we had grown extremely distant."

"Was it worth it?" He had stopped eating, his hands clasped together with the fork dangling down in between them.

"So far…yes. Being here makes me happy and, I think that I'm going to have a really good friendship with this team. It was frustrating at first, because Daniel was busy and I was by myself all the time, but now that I have you four I've been really happy." She crossed her arms and sat back against the chair. "I thought this was supposed to be about me getting to know you?!"

Ellis smirked, "Whoops. I have a funny way of dong that. Comes from the previous job. Carr and Wells are going to take really good care of you, but just watch it. They're dangerous."

Kashoku laughed, "I didn't need you to tell me that! I know, but they tell me that it's _you_ I need to be careful of."

"Of course they do. I'm hard on them. I'll be hard on you, too. Some people want an easy road in life where everyone holds their hand and sweet talks them through everything. I'm not that person. I've been put in charge of this team and thus it's my responsibility to make sure all five of us come back through that gate each time. I don't have the patience for their fooling around out on missions. I'm not your friend when I'm in uniform; I'm your team leader. My team is my family, and as much as Carr and Wells get on my god damn _nerves_ sometimes, I care about them."

"Hmmm," the ex-singer mused. "It must be hard with so much pressure on you all the time. Must be why you're always frowning."

The crease between his brows increased. "What? I don't frown all the time."

She smiled cheekily, "Do, too. I don't think I've seen you smile once, not really. I'd be curious to see this other-side of you Robbie talked about. I question whether it really exists or not. You always look so mean."

If he wasn't frowning before, he sure was now. "I _don't_ frown."

"Uh-huh," she responded, _really_ convinced with his words. "Soooo….if you aren't plotting how to kill people in your spare time, what _do_ you do?"

Ellis shrugged. "I'll read through mission reports here and there, but mostly I'm pretty as unproductive as everyone else, as much as I rag on their cases about it. I'm usually reading up on all the new guns coming out. It's a...hobby."

Kashoku perked up. "You like to shoot for fun?"

"Oh yeah," he nodded. "I can't wait until Cody is a little older. I take him hunting with me, but Amy keeps bitching about how he's too young to be firing a weapon yet. She's really not a fan, but she just nods her head about it. I keep the majority of my guns out of my house and away from the kids so it keeps her happy."

"How many weapons do you have?" Kashoku asked inquisitively.

"A freakin arsenal. I could put the armories here at the SGC to shame," he smirked. "Granted, I don't have any of the alien shit and I have way more than P-90s lying around. I have a lot of snipers. A few of them are growing cold. Shame I really haven't had the time to go out and shoot anything except Jaffa lately."

"You have so many types of guns. I'd really be interested in seeing some of them. Maybe you could teach me how to shoot them!"

Ellis raised an inquiring eyebrow. "You want to learn how to shoot snipers?"

"Ah, you all seem to forget that shooting guns was my specialty on Spira," she mused.

"Actually, I don't think I knew that at all. Explains how you knew to handle your weapon so well already, though. I figured they had someone teach you," he explained.

"Oh!" Kashoku sulked at her ignorance. "I wish it had been SG-15 that was there on Spira with me! My master sphere other than White Mage is Gunner. None of you really ask about Spira other than the spheres and so I forget you don't know anything."

"It's easy to forget you're not from Earth, to be honest. You're not like Teal'c," he acknowledged.

Kashoku laughed, "I hope that's a compliment."

"Just a statement," he assured. "It'll be a lot easier for you to adapt."

After enjoying a decent meal with her team leader, Kashoku and Ellis parted ways. Ellis headed back to his office and Kashoku, ostensibly, headed back to the one she shared with the other members of her team. She paused outside the door, her hand hovering just above the door knob. Through the door she could hear the voices of the three men faintly. From the sound of things Wells and Carr were teasing Rodd, though about what she couldn't quite make out.

Not wanting to intrude, she opted to go and see what Sam was doing since SG-1 was presently not off world. Turning down the corridor she headed towards Sam's office when suddenly she literally ran into Daniel. Pieces of paper went flying in the air as books landed with a heavy 'thud' on the floor. Blushing furiously, Kashoku began to pick everything up.

When the last sheet of paper was collected, Daniel adjusted his glasses and smiled at her. "Believe me, this isn't the firs time this has happened. Jack likes to make a habit of it. I suppose this saves me the trouble of tracking you down, though," he said with a weak chuckle.

Feeling not so embarrassed she stood from her crouched position and inquired, "You were looking for me?"

Daniel nodded. "Are you doing anything tonight?"

Kashoku tilted her head to one side curiously. "I don't have any plans. Why?"

Daniel took a deep breath, needlessly sliding his glasses further up his nose. "I was…wondering if you'd like to get out. You know, see a bit more of our world, perhaps? I mean I know you haven't reached your decision; it wouldn't be a date or anything. All educational."

Kashoku smiled and her heart fluttered in excitement. "I would like that very much."

It had been a simple dinner. As promised, the chosen place offered no sense of romanticism, but rather homey and enjoyable as they simply sat and talked.

"So, did you enjoy it?" he asked, breaking the silence.

She nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, very much."

He seemed to relax. "We'll have to do this again sometime. Sooner rather than later, but I guess the Goa'uld are really the ones who have a say in that."

"Hmm," Kashoku nodded. "You know, I was thinking. It must be really hard to be with someone you have to lie to all the time. I wonder how Major Ellis and Robbie do it. Their wives have no idea what they really do."

"It's extremely hard, and that's why most of the people who work at the SGC aren't married." He pulled his car into his parking spot in the base's parking lot. "Well, here we are," he said needlessly, pulling out his card so that the guards would let her back in.

Kashoku could feel Daniel's disappointment that it hadn't turned into something more and gave his hand a squeeze. "Thank you for taking me out."

"Sure thing," Daniel waved as he watched her retreat back into the SGC.

"So, where were you last night?" Wells asked curiously as Kashoku took a seat at her desk.

"Huh?" Kashoku asked tiredly.

"I stopped by to see if you wanted to do something and you weren't there," Wells said with a suspicious raise of his eyebrow. "What were you doing?"

"Oh, just, stuff." _Great answer, Kashoku_.

"Stuff…" Wells repeated, eyes narrowed and pinned to the back of her head. "What kind of stuff?"

Carr decided he wanted to play the game, too. "You look tired. Long night?"

"Maybe," Kashoku refused to look at any of them. Opening one of her books she tried to bury herself in it.

"Doin' what?" Carr stood up and made his way over towards her desk, taking a seat on the edge of it.

Kashoku leaned closer towards her book. "I just got caught up studying. There was an interesting chapter."

Carr's expression dropped in realization. Slowly – ever so slowly – the corners of his lips drew up in a grin as he leaned down where Kashoku could not avoid his gaze completely. "What was it on…? _Anatomy_?" Kashoku blushed furiously which caused the blonde to jump up in joy. "I win!"

Rodd slapped his palm to his forehead. "Jesus. What are we, in fifth grade?"

Carr snarled at the young red-head, "The day just started, Rodd. Don't make me hate you before lunch time."

"It's not my fault I'm surrounded by morons who use elementary jokes on what should be mature topics," he frowned. Carr brought out the worst in him. "Sir…"

"Says the redneck! Moving on!" Carr turned his attention back to the ex-singer.

"So," Wells smirked as he crossed his arms and made his way to the other side of Kashoku's desk, "Was it Daniel?" The playfulness in his tone suddenly disappeared. "That's what everyone says, anyway."

"It was not a date and there was no studies done of 'anatomy'!" Kashoku assured them. "It was simply a dinner amongst co-workers."

"He at least took you somewhere nice, right?" Wells asked. "Did he pay for it?"

"It was simple, plain. _Friendly! _Look, it really isn't any of your business!" Kashoku shut her book and tucked it under her arm before heading towards the door. A ring of the red phone caused her to freeze. With a heavy sigh she reached across and answered, "Kashoku Yoshiko. Yes, sir…we'll be right there." She hung it up and her shoulders dropped. So much for escaping. "Major Ellis wants us in the briefing room, now."

"Briefing isn't until 0900," Rodd spoke thoughtfully as he began piling the papers he had already brought out into a more organized manner.

Kashoku shrugged as she walked back to her desk and put down her books, "He didn't say anything else, but he at least didn't seem worried or upset about anything."

Carr gave a heavy sigh, "I hope we aren't met with scientists at this brief. I swear to God if this is a baby-sitting mission I'm going to puke."

They entered the briefing room to find their team leader pouring a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Glancing up he acknowledged their presence with a slight nod and handed out the cup he had just poured towards Kashoku, "Want some?"

Kashoku took the proffered cup with a smile and let the warmth seek into her hands. "Thank you."

Carr frowned as he watched the major pour another cup and not offer it up to anyone else. "Come on, sir, Kashoku isn't the only other member of this team."

The crease between Ellis's brows increased. "You have hands. Pour it your god damn self."

Wells snickered next to his best friend, biting his lip to keep a burst of laughter from escaping. Carr glowered. "Is something wrong with Kashoku's hands where she can't pour a cup for herself?"

"No," Ellis responded as he took a sip of his own cup and sat down, "I just like her better."

With an annoyed pout the blonde poured his own cup off coffee and took a seat. "So what's with making us come down early?"

"It's not that much earlier," Ellis said as he sat next to where Hammond would soon sit. "Besides, you all have a tendency to be late." There wasn't a single objection, because it was true. "Actually, while I have you here, Amy's got a huge cooking bug of late and wants to throw a get together so she has an excuse."

Carr groaned in delight as he rubbed his stomach. "Your wife makes the best food, sir."

"Yeah, well, if you and Michelle want to come it's Saturday starting at 1700. Wells, the kids would love it if you brought Justice."

"Still won't cave in to their wishes for a puppy, sir?" Wells asked with a teasing grin.

Ellis scowled as he took as sip from his black cup. "I love dogs. Big dogs. Hunting dogs. They want some cute and fluffy freakin stuffed animal that Amy can take and get manicures with. I'm not having it."

"Aww," Kashoku gave a sad face that was worthy of any child, "Shouldn't you do what makes _them_ happy?"

Ellis glowered, "Don't sound like my wife, Kashoku. I have a terrible feeling she's going to love you."

Kashoku giggled. "I'm excited to meet her. One of you will have to take me, though."

"I gotcha'," Wells offered quickly.

"Ah, you are all early. This is refreshing," Hammond said as he walked in with a stack of folders tucked under an arm and a cup of coffee in the other hand.

"Sir," Ellis spoke as they all scrambled to rise out of their chairs.

"At ease," Hammond spoke as he took a seat. He began passing out the folders. "You'll all be happy to know that this is just a recon mission."

"Thank you," Carr sighed with relief as he opened up his folder.

"P45-2345, from what we caught on the UAV, is a coastal environment. The Stargate was very close to a beach," Hammond began as he pulled out the pictures taken.

"Ooh, pack the swimsuits," Wells said as he held up the picture of the waves cashing into the sand.

"I'll bring the surfboards!" Carr grinned in excitement. It was a nice change from the dense forests they usually wound up in.

Ellis didn't say anything, but the hand rubbing at his forehead was enough. "Do we know anything about the locals at all? Were any spotted?"

"It appeared that-," Hammond was interrupted by the klaxons blaring in their ears.

"Incoming Wormhole," Sergeant Harriman's voice rang over the intercom.

"No one is off world," Hammond frowned as he stood from his seat and left for the Control Room leaving SG-15 behind.

"Tok'Ra maybe?" Rodd shrugged.

"Let's hope not," Ellis grimaced. That was one thing he and Colonel O'Neill agreed upon.

It was not long after Hammond has left before he was back. "Kashoku, it's for you."

Kashoku frowned and swallowed hard. Why would Spira be calling in? She stuck the photos back into the folder and followed after the general. The rest of SG-15 made it their business to come, too.

On the transmission screen Kashoku could clearly make out the individuals and her heart raced. "Yuna? _Gippal?_ What's wrong?"

"You mind if we come through?" Gippal's blonde head pushed Yuna aside. "It would be a lot easier than talking over this thing," he tapped the screen vigorously.

Kashoku looked to Hammond and he nodded at Harriman to open the iris. She turned her attention back to the screen and gave a nod. "You can come through." The transmission ended as the two were suddenly in full view coming through the event horizon. Pushing past her teammates she took the stairs down to the embarkation room. The looks on her friends' faces worried her. "What happened?"

"Look," Gippal said with crossed arms, "We didn't want to worry you but…"

With slumped shoulders Yuna finished for the Al Bhed, "It's about Kage."

Kashoku could feel her heart sink to the bottom of her stomach. "Come on…we can talk about it in another room." She led them back up to the briefing room, where her team and General Hammond joined her.

"We really are sorry," Yuna apologized. "We were hoping we could take care of it without contacting you. I know you are trying to live your life here, now."

"Yuna," Kashoku sighed, "Spira is still my home. I _want_ you to contact me if you need anything. There isn't anything else wrong, is there?"

The ex-summoner shook her head with a small smile, "No."

Kashoku smiled back and folded her arms. "So…what has Kage done now?"

"Nothing. That's just it," Gippal said as he leaned forward with his elbows on the tabletop. "I've never seen her like this, Kashoku. The girl is _depressed_. I thought maybe she just needed some time to get over the fact you were gone, but no. She's been spotted by some of my contacts in the underground with Shika."

Kashoku tensed. "What?" Her voice was almost a whisper.

"Underground? That bad?" Ellis asked curiously.

"It's the black market on Spira," Kashoku explained. "Kage…she used to be pretty heavily involved in it. This is my fault."

"No, Kashoku, it's not," Yuna said firmly.

"Hmph," Gippal murmured, not really convinced by the fact. "Not to try and guilt-trip you further, but the girl is a bloody mess, _literally._ She's been totally reckless on hunts and she won't let a single mage look at her. If I didn't know better, I'd think she wanted to just die."

"General, I have to go back and try and fix this," Kashoku said with disbelief in her eyes.

Hammond nodded. "I understand. Take your team with you. The mission can be put on hold. You can leave when you're ready." Kashoku nodded with a thankful smile.

"There better be beaches on your planet, Kashoku. You are putting my vacation on hold," Carr said with a playfully disappointed tone.

Kashoku gave a genuine grin. "There are many, and much more beautiful."

"Good!" He said with bright eyes.

Kashoku grabbed her spheres from their office, changing into Gunner and waited for her team to suit up and meet in the embarkation room. She was disappointed that the first time her team would see her home was under these circumstances. "We ready?" She received nods from everyone and looked up to Hammond signaling to dial the gate.

"Have your lights ready when we get to the other side," Kashoku said, "It's kind of dark."

"No shit," Ellis spoke as he speared through the wormhole into the cave. Switching the light on he took a look around. "A cave?"

Kashoku shrugged. "We didn't exactly have any say in where it was put. Don't worry, we know the way. It's not far." The event horizon closed behind them and Yuna and Kashoku led the way with the lights of her team members guiding them. The Bikanel Desert sun was high in the sky.

"A desert?!" Carr said, appalled. "I thought you said there were beaches!"

"Aren't there deserts _and_ beaches on your Earth, Robbie?" Kashoku asked with a questioning eyebrow.

"Maybe..," Carr responded quietly.

"Whoa," Wells stopped dead in his tracks, staring off in the distance. They all turned to see him staring at _Wing_ and the _Celsius_ parked next to each other. "Please tell me we are riding those."

"Well, since we are on an island, it's either that or swim," Kashoku said.

Yuna turned to her friend. "Do you want me to come with you?"

Kashoku shook her head sadly, "No. I think it would be better if you didn't. Having my teammates along will upset her enough, I think. Do you know where she is at all?"

Yuna shrugged, "Can't say for sure, but…I can take a guess."

Kashoku frowned and nodded, "Yeah…"

"Please be careful if you go down there, Kashoku. You could get seriously hurt. Your friend's weapons don't mean much here," she warned.

"I know. I'll be fine, thanks. I'll only go down there as a last resort. Maybe she's poking her head around Luca at the bars." Kashoku tried to be hopeful, but even she knew that she was most likely taking a trip to the dark parts of Zanarkand tonight.

Yuna's look was just as hopeless. "Call if you need us?"

"Yeah," Kashoku nodded. She watched as Yuna and Gippal headed for _Celsius_. With a sigh she beckoned her team to follow her to _Wing_. "Used to, we both kept tracking devices on our communications equipment so _Wing_ could find us, but I don't know if she still has it on her."

"Your friend seemed really concerned that you might be taking a trip down to this underground. Are you sure it's a good idea?" Ellis frowned as he followed directly behind her.

"It's an awful idea, but if that's where she is, then that's where we will go," Kashoku sighed.

"This is the same girl that tried to basically burn down the SGC when you both came, right?" Wells asked curiously and yet cautiously.

"One nd the same," Kashoku sighed. She removed a glove from her hand and placed her palm up next to the loading dock of _Wing_ and a ramp began to lower. "Look, I know Kage isn't-," she paused as she felt the sand beneath her move. With one hand she gripped Wells's shoulder and shoved him down on the ground while her other summoned her gun. With one powerful, magic induced shot, the large creature that had popped out of the ground fell back against the sand. What looked like a large worm with a mouth of a shark lay motionless.

"What the fuck was that?!" Wells asked, frozen in the position Kashoku had put him in. Her hand was still gripping his shoulder.

"A sand worm. Where there is one there are many. Come on, everyone in," Kashoku said, easing her hand up off of Wells's shoulder and jogging up the ramp onto _Wing_.

"That thing was gross," Carr mused as the ramp closed up behind them. "Are there a lot of those things in the desert?"

"There are plenty of worse things than a sand worm in Bikanel. But," She banished her weapon and headed towards the control panel of the airship, "if you can endure the fiends there are plenty of treasures to be found."

"Hmph," Carr didn't seem impressed, "Where are the beaches?"

Kashoku gave a sympathetic smile as she took a seat in front of the large screen spouting out Spiran symbols. "Sorry, but the best I can do for you is fly you over them. Kage isn't exactly a fan of the beach." Out of the corner of her eye she could see Rodd gazing wide-eyed at everything.

"What kind of material is this thing made out of?" He asked curiously as he ran his fingertips across the side panel.

"Machina. Kage knows more about all the scientific stuff than I do, I'm afraid."

"Kashy," Wells began as he sat in the co-pilot seat, "Promise me you'll teach me how to fly this thing one day."

Kashoku laughed, "Yeah, ok."

Ellis, who had been mostly silent since their arrival, leaned forward with a hand against a top railing so that he was hovering over the two. "At the risk of sounding like a complete asshole-,"

"Too late, sir," Carr said as he made himself comfortable on a long seating structure built into the side.

Ellis scowled, but did not comment. "Can't you see where this is going, Kashoku?"

Kashoku blinked in confusion. "Hn?"

"Gippal was already doing all he could to make you feel responsible for this whole mess back at the SGC. When we do find Kage, and you see the trouble she's gotten herself into, you are going to want to stay to fix it. You aren't going to come back to the SGC." He leaned in dangerously close to Kashoku. "You've only been on our team a few months, but already I know you are the kind of person that doesn't know how to be selfish. You will give up everything for her." He paused, waiting to see if she'd say anything. She didn't. "Well, I'm fucking selfish, and I'm not going back to Earth without you, with or without your friend."

Pushing himself away from the bar he headed towards one of the seats. "Let's go get find Kage."


	10. Chapter 10

"So where are we going if we aren't going straight to the underground?" Rodd asked curiously as he kept his eyes glued to the window staring down at the sights below them.

"Luca. It's one of our bigger cities. There's a blitzball tournament going on, and Kage's quite the fan. There's a bar there she likes to hang out at. Maybe she's there, or they might've seen her recently." Kashoku turned around in her seat and leaned against the backing. "It'll be busy, but I want to try. If we can avoid going to the underground, I want to do it at any cost."

"Blitzball. Is that a sporting event or something?" Ellis asked.

Kashoku nodded. "Yes." She messed with some things on the screen in front of her before she got up out of her seat, changing dress spheres in the middle of the movement to a green and brown ensemble.

"Would you not fucking do that?" Ellis groaned.

Kashoku giggled. "Sorry, but everyone knows me in my Gunner sphere. This will be a little less obvious. We don't have time to waste to allow everyone to stop me in our path."

Carr gave a slight cough, rubbing at the area just below his nose. "Do you fight in that?"

Kashoku raised a questioning eyebrow. "Of course. Why?"

"Just…wondering." His blue eyes couldn't draw themselves away, his and Wells's heads almost bumping into one another as they tilted to get a better view.

Rodd's cheeks were bright red. "Do…all of you dress like that here?"

Kashoku paused, suddenly remembering the conversation she had at the mall with Sam and Janet. It definitely explained her team's odd reactions. "Oh. I'm so sorry. Am I making you all uncomfortable? Major Carter told me that on your planet, this attire is not very acceptable for everyday wear…"

"Oh, you aren't making me uncomfortable at _all,_" Carr assured her.

"Nope. Not feeling uncomfortable. At all." Wells quickly agreed.

Ellis rolled his eyes. "Is it too much to ask for you two knuckle-heads to keep it professional?"

"Probably, sir," Wells responded.

"I think he's going to have a nosebleed," Carr commented as he looked over at the very embarrassed red-head. "Just think of it as being at the beach!"

Kashoku frowned. She felt bad for the lieutenant, but honestly, they were all going to be seeing a lot more skin before the mission was over. He would just have to get used to it quickly. Especially, she thought unhappily, if they really had to go to the underground. There was still hope of Kage being elsewhere though, so Kashoku rallied her optimism and beckoned the team over. "We're above Luca. Come on, we'll use the transport sphere to get down there," she said, standing by the glowing blue sphere.

"Man, this really is like Star Trek! Beam me up, Scotty!" Carr grinned as he hopped up onto his feet. "How does it work?"

Kashoku shrugged. "You just touch it. It's already locked onto the sphere down at the

Luca port, so that's where it will take us. I'm not sure about the mechanics behind it. That's not exactly my specialty."

When the blue glow from the teleport sphere faded, SG-15 found themselves on a balcony at the base of a staircase leading up to a grassy plain. They looked around. It wasn't too busy; a few people milled around, talking excitedly about the blitzball tournament. From the sounds of things, a game had just ended.

Kashoku gestured at her teammates, indicating that they follow her. "If a game just finished, this place is going to get busy and fast. We should get going before it gets too crowded."

"Where are we going?" Wells asked, looking around. He smiled admiringly at a pair of women sitting on a bench, talking quietly to each other. They paid no attention to him or to the rest of SG-15 as they passed.

"There's a bar that Kage frequents when she's in Luca. Sphere hunters and blitzball players are known to go there."

"So…what is blitzball exactly?" Carr asked.

"It's a ball game," Kashoku said, going on to explain the rules and the format of the games, listing off the various teams as well.

"They're underwater?" Ellis frowned. "Do they have breathing equipment?"

Kashoku shook her head. "They train very hard, learning how to hold their breath for longer periods of time."

Wells whistled admiringly. "I'd love to see a game sometime."

"Perhaps we'll have time after we find Kage. Yuna's husband Tidus is a player for the

Zanarkand Abes; Tickets are easily attainable."

She led them into a circular plaza, up a short set of stairs, and through a door. The bar was on the other side. It was crowded, packed nearly full of people. Flags displaying the logos of every blitzball team hung from the walls and decorated small flags held in the hands of some of the bar's patrons.

Rodd jumped out of the way as a massive male Ronso pushed his way in. Rodd stood there, staring at the massive, blue furred creature, his eyes widening at the sight of the long horn sitting prominently in the center of his forehead. The Ronso snarled in annoyance at Rodd, causing him to stumble back and into a nearby table.

He turned around to apologize to the people sitting around it but no words came out. The three women sitting there stared at him in mixed amusement and annoyance. One woman was wearing a long, covering robe but the other two wore clothing as scanty as Kashoku's. There was more skin showing than cloth.

He stumbled back, his face flushed and red, making incoherent sounds. One of the women laughed. "What's the matter? Coerl got your tongue?"

Roaring with laughter, Wells and Carr dragged him away. "He doesn't get out much," Carr said apologetically.

"Clearly," the woman drawled, watching them leave. Her companions giggled. "Aww, poor Rodd, can't even manage to talk to the ladies." Wells teased.

"I'm still surprised you don't have a nosebleed yet," Carr put in.

"Knock it off, you two," Ellis snapped. "We have work to do." He gestured at the bar. Kashoku was sitting on a stool, talking to a woman in a blitzball uniform and another woman dressed in an outfit similar to Kashoku's.

"Learn anything?" Wells asked, walking up behind her.

"This is Sekki and Sayuri," Kashoku replied. "Sekki plays for the Luca Goers and Sayuri is a sphere hunter."

"Like you?" Rodd asked.

"I'm…not as well known as Sereclipse or the Gullwings but I do alright," Sayuri replied, sounding friendly enough.

"These are your friends from…where was it again?" Sekki asked.

"Earth," Kashoku reminded her. "Ellis, Carr, Wells, and Rodd." She pointed at each man in turn as she spoke their name and rank.

"It's nice to meet you," Wells said, gazing appreciatively at Sayuri's attire.

Rodd did his best to not look at anyone, staring at the floor. His face was quite red and turned redder every time he accidentally glanced up and saw any of the large amount of bare skin sported by the women around him.

"How can we help you?" Sekki asked, doing her best to ignore Rodd in an attempt to not make him any more uncomfortable than he already was.

"Yuna and Gippal tell me that Kage's vanished," Kashoku explained. Sekki hummed. "That doesn't sound good. Did they say anything else?" "Something about the underground," Ellis added.

Sekki looked confused but Sayuri groaned. "That would be just like her, wouldn't it? I

swear, Kashoku. I have no idea why you put up with her. Or how, for that matter." "She's my friend," Kashoku said stubbornly. "If she's in trouble I need to help her."

Sekki patted her hand. "I understand. If Jin or Sayuri were ever in trouble, I would do everything I could to help them."

"And you did a few times back in the day," Sayuri said with a laugh. "Remember the time that fiend had me pinned after knocking Jin unconscious? If you hadn't summoned Valefor when you did we would have been dead."

"Sekki used to be what's called a Summoner," Kashoku explained. "Like Yuna. Summoners were charged with the task of fighting Sin. After Yuna defeated Sin for good, bringing the Eternal Calm, she and the other Summoners had to find something else to do as their entire purpose in life was gone for good and the Aeons they were once able to call on disappeared from Spira. Yuna became a sphere hunter. Sekki became a blitzball player."

"So this Valefor thing?" Carr questioned.

"Was my first Aeon," Sekki said, sounding sad. "I like not living in fear of Sin, but I do miss being a Summoner some days."

Sayuri snorted. "Only on days when the Goers loose a match."

Kashoku laughed. "I'm sure other former Summoners feel that way on occasion." "Except Yuna," Sayuri put in. "She's still on speaking terms with her surviving

Guardians and went so far as to marry one of them." "You're not?" Kashoku asked.

Sekki shrugged. "I haven't seen Jin in a while. I have no idea what she's up to lately."

"This is all very interesting, but do you have any intel that would be at all useful?" Ellis interrupted, sounding cranky.

"Oh, my apologies," Sekki said sheepishly. "Here I am rattling on about things that are unimportant. I'm sorry to say that I really have no idea where Kage is, exactly, but you may want to go to Bevelle."

"Why Bevelle?" Kashoku frowned.

"Do you recall the large hole that was found in Bevelle, the one where the Gullwings found Trema?"

"Not well, but Yuna mentioned it once."

Sayuri nodded. "Despite the best efforts of fighters and sphere hunters from all over Spira, that place is still swarming with fiends. I hear rumors every now and then of fighters who go down there on purpose to challenge themselves. If I were Kage and if I were looking to blow off some steam, that's where I would go."

"If she's not there, you may want to consider looking in either Zanarkand or in the ruins above Mt. Gagazet. Both places are dangerous and seem to me like they would appeal to her," Sekki added.

"Thank you for your help," Kashoku said, smiling gratefully. "I appreciate it."

Back on board _Wing_, Kashoku took a seat at the controls, preparing to get under way. The rest of her team gathered around her.

"How far away is Bevelle?" Ellis asked.

"On foot from here it's quite a ways," Kashoku replied. "Even if you don't encounter any fiends, you would have to go down the Mi'hen Highroad, down Mushroom Rock Road, across the Moonflow, past Guadosalam and through the Thunder Plains, go part way into the Macalania Woods and then into Bevelle."

Carr cringed. "That sounds far."

"It's much faster by air ship," she assured him. "It's a matter of minutes as opposed to hours."

The team watched as _Wing _rose into the air and headed off, watched as the land passed beneath them. They were too high up to make out many details but the sight was still impressive. Keeping in mind what Kashoku had just told them about what they would have to pass by in order to get to Bevelle, they were more or less able to figure out what they were passing over based on the changes in the landscape.

They disembarked at Bevelle the same way they had in Luca, finding themselves standing at one end of a long walkway edged on either side by water that looked to be about thigh deep.

Kashoku gestured at them to follow. "There used to be a boat here to help travelers get to the other end of this but it doesn't seem to be here today. It looks like we have to walk."

Wells and Carr sighed as they team headed up the walkway to the city's gates. They passed some of Bevelle's residents as they walked, nodding politely at them and receiving strange looks in return.

Rodd smiled happily, though Wells and Carr looked disappointed. The clothing worn by the women here covered them from neck to foot, nowhere near as skimpy or revealing as what they'd seen elsewhere.

Kashoku, noting the reactions from her teammates, smiled and explained. "Bevelle was once the religious center of Spira, the seat of Yevon's power. The Maesters ruled from here for a thousand years before the Eternal Calm came. The New Yevon movement, formed not long after that, is still around today and they remain in control of Bevelle. The clothing you're seeing are robes worn by people who still follow the teachings of Yevon."

Rodd looked thoughtful. "I wonder…" "What?" Ellis asked.

"Given what we've seen with religions out there in the galaxy, it makes me wonder if

Yevon might have been a Goa'uld. It's just a theory," Rodd said, looking uncomfortable, suddenly seeming embarrassed he mentioned it.

"Kashoku?" Carr asked, looking at her. "Any thoughts?"

Kashoku shook her head. "I admit I've never considered it myself. I suppose it's possible. False God and all…But, it seems inconsistent from what I've seen with you all on other planets. We never had Jaffa on our planet during Yevon's reign.

They continued walking, pondering Rodd's theory. At the end of the walkway, they made a left turn into an area where there were more people. Kashoku paid them no mind and simply opened the first door they came to and went in.

The room behind it was dimly lit and smelled strange. Not unpleasant, but strange. Kashoku looked around, trying to remember which way to go from there, as the team filed in and looked around. Straight ahead was what looked like a chariot—minus the horses—floating in mid air. To the left and to the right were curved hallways with openings at even intervals along them. Above them was a second floor.

After a moment, Kashoku went right, walking slowly and peeking though the openings until she found what she was looking for.

"What _is _this place?" Rodd asked in awe.

"This is the Bevelle temple. At one time Summoners would come here on their pilgrimage to pray to the Fayth at the heart of the temple and gain its Aeon before continuing on the last leg of their journey. The Fayth is no longer here."

"I would have liked to see it," Rodd said wistfully as Kashoku led them into a circular room. At the far end was a glowing, circular symbol. There were a few people in the room who looked up as they came in. At the sight of them, Rodd's face flushed again. Most of them were dressed in revealing outfits. All of them carried some kind of weapon.

Kashoku walked up to a man wearing robes and talked to him in hushed tones. After a brief conversation, she thanked him and went back to her teammates.

"He says that he hasn't seen Kage, but that he also hasn't been down here long. He suggested that we might have more luck going down into the cloisters and asking someone who's been here longer."

"Such as?" Wells asked, folding his arms across his chest.

Kashoku shrugged. "They don't keep a list of people who go down there. Anyone who does, does so at their own risk. And I don't think anyone else here has been in the temple long. They're in too good of shape."

Ellis groaned. Kashoku was not exactly inspiring confidence. "Why don't I like the sound of this?" he asked, already fingering his weapon.

"The first few levels don't pose much danger," Kashoku assured him. "The real danger is many levels down. If we don't hear word of her after the first few levels, we'll leave and look somewhere else. She's my friend, but I'm not putting you four in danger on the off chance she might be down there."

"Good to know. How do we get into these cloisters?" Wells asked, checking his weapon. "All we need to do is step on that," she said, pointing at the glowing circle on the floor. Carr walked up and tapped it experimentally with the toe of his boot. "You're sure about that?" he asked skeptically. "I was expecting some kind of fancy machine elevator or something."

Kashoku shook her head. "Machina were forbidden by Yevon's teachings. None of the temples—with the exception of Djose temple—have any machina in them."

"Why does that one?" Wells asked.

"It was taken over by the Al Bhed Machine Faction after Sin was defeated. They brought machina with them." Kashoku walked up and stepped on the circle. "It's perfectly safe, I assure you."

One by one the members of SG-15 joined her in the glowing circle. The light flared briefly and they vanished.

Several hours and several empty magazines later, SG-15 emerged from the cloisters looking completely exhausted. Kashoku especially looked drained. She'd hoped to find word of Kage down there but no one had seen her or heard so much as a whisper as to whether or not she was there. Dashed hopes in addition to exhaustion from fighting fiends contributed to her bone-deep weariness.

They returned to _Wing_, all of them sinking to the floor as soon as they were on board.

"I need a god damn break before we go anywhere else," Ellis said wearily. "We have no idea what the fuck else will sneak up on us in the next place we look."

Kashoku contemplated offering to let them stay on _Wing _while she continued to look alone, but they had been very vehement the last time she'd offered back in the cloisters. Instead she just nodded, rubbing her neck wearily. "When I've rested and recovered my magic, I'll heal us all," Kashoku said. "I want to find Kage, but right now all I want to do is sleep."

"Where are we off to next?" Carr asked.

"Zanarkand," was her simple reply. "But first, we are going to have to get you some clothes. You'll need to blend in if we are going to the underground."

Zanarkand was bustling with people. Most had come to celebrate their team's victory after the games at Luca, while others came to forget their losses. Kashoku felt uncomfortable in her black mage attire, but she knew it was the only way she would get five feet into the underground.

Carr groaned. "There looks to be quite the happening party around here, and yet here we are about to willingly go into a place that could get us killed."

Kashoku gave him a hesitant smile. "I promise one day I'll take you to a place here in Zanarkand. The parties here last long into the morning."

"Do you even know how we get access to this place?" Ellis asked with crossed arms.

The Spiran's shoulders slumped. "Not exactly. I'm more or less hoping they kind of find us."

"Find _us_?" Wells joined his team leader in crossing his arms. "That's a terrible plan, Kashy."

The brunette gave a frustrated huff. "Well, excuse me, but that's not exactly a place I made a habit of going to! Look around you. Everyone else here is wearing spheres for parties, _not _Black Mage spheres. Either someone will come to us, or we should be able to spot one of them."

"Come on," Ellis sighed irritably. "There has to be a place around here that gives you a creepy feeling. Some place that is a good hideout or secluded from the rest of the populace."

Kashoku bit her lip as she thought that over. "Un, the temple always gives me the creeps," she said eventually, looking over her shoulder towards the temple up on a distant hill. "It's the one place no one goes to."

"Well, why didn't you fucking say so earlier? That's our place, then," Ellis grumbled in frustration.

Kashoku blinked. "You think so?"

"Duh," Carr gave a playful pop to her head.

Kashoku flushed as Ellis turned to stare at the temple, as though he could suss out its dangers even from where he stood. He seemed absolutely certain it was their destination, and she hadn't even _considered _it until then. It was one thing to flake out back at the SGC, but to not pick up on something so simple on her own turf was... highly embarrassing.

"Hey," Wells touched her arm comfortingly, "figuring that shit out is his job. Don't feel bad, okay? Just take us where we need to go."

Kashoku sighed and nodded, pulling forth all her determination and worry over Kage. "Right. This way."

The closer they got to the temple the fewer people were around. It was old and desolate. Pyreflies still haunted the place.

"What are these?" Rodd asked in awe as the pyreflies weaved themselves around his arms.

"Souls," Kashoku said, stopping to look at them sadly.

The once curious Carr was suddenly batting at the rainbow lights. "The hell?! What is this place, a graveyard?"

"Kind of," she responded as she let a pyreflie rest in the palm of her hand.

"Was there some kind of massacre here or what?" Wells asked. He was tense, but he wasn't swatting at them like flies, simply eyeing them suspiciously.

"Yes. A very long time ago there was war between our two largest cities. Zanarkand…well. They lost. When they finally decided to rebuild the city, they decided to leave the temple alone so that we could all remember the tragedies."

"These lights are actually _souls_?" Ellis touched at one in disbelief. "That kind of thing is just a myth on Earth. No rainbow lights when someone dies."

Kashoku gave a thoughtless shrug. "I don't know how it works on Earth, but here, these _are _people's souls. Some will linger around like this; others will move on and go to the Farplane. There are also those that turn into fiends. I'd be surprised if we didn't run into any, so stay close."

"The fiends seem to be light tonight," a voice said from behind a pillar. SG-15 readied their weapons on the man that appeared behind them. He was clearly Al Bhed. He held up his hands. "Gippal said you might be hanging around here."

Kashoku dismissed her staff and eased. "You're with the Machine Faction."

He nodded. "That's right. The names Zysac. He didn't think you could make it to the underground on your own, and frankly, he's right. Are you _sure _you want to go down there? If this goes badly there is no coming out."

"Gee," Ellis huffed, "sounds just like what everyone else has told us."

Kashoku sighed and put her hands on her hips. "Unless you are willing to go drag her out here, then I guess we have to go to her."

He shrugged, "We did try telling her you were here, but she didn't believe us. Guess showing you to her is the only way. Follow me." Looking over his shoulder as they walked he added, "At least try and act like you belong when we get there."

"Sir, that should be easy for you," Carr grinned at his team leader. Ellis's glare wiped the grin right off the Californian's face.

Kashoku turned, clasping her hands behind her back. "Look, this is going to be dangerous. If any of you would rather wait here, I'd understand."

Ellis reacted quickly to a fleeing Rodd, grabbing onto his jacket and pulling him back in. The kid dropped his head in defeat. "It can't be any worse than going right into the lair of a Goa'uld. We're with you, Kashoku. I just hope you think she's worth all this trouble."

Kashoku gave a curt nod. "She is."

"You're the only one that seems to think so," Zysac called from in front of them, coming to a stop at what was literally a giant hole in the ground. "Be careful on your way down."

Kashoku leaned over to look down into the hole. It seemed to be the source of many of the pyreflies. "Hey…I could have sworn that Kage and I found a sphere down here once."

"You probably did," the Al Bhed nodded as he began climbing down, "but there's more than just a few spheres down here in the dungeons."

Kashoku sat on the edge of the hole before hopping down into it, knowing that it wasn't a long way down. The team followed in behind her, the dark corridor suddenly lighting itself as they walked.

"I feel like something is about to come out and attack us," Wells spoke uncomfortably. Zysac grinned. "It might, but I doubt it. Most of the fiends were taken care of by the first groups to enter for the night. There's a huge event going on, so everyone who is anyone in the underground is going to be here tonight."

"Joy," Ellis snorted.

"Ah, here we are!" He approached a complete dead end where an empty sphere pillar stood. Cracking his knuckles he spoke directly into the wall, "Vayn ec Bufan!" The door faded away leading down another corridor.

"Fear is power," Kashoku translated as she watched the Al Bhed continue on. "How appropriate." Stepping out of the way of the pillar she maneuvered herself into the newly appeared corridor.

"Kage was involved in this sort of stuff before you met, right?" Wells asked, running his fingertips across the walls as the light got dimmer. "How did you end up with her?"

"Sin brought the strangest of people together," Kashoku said sadly. "It was a time where it didn't matter what race you were or who your allegiance was to. We were all Spiran. If Earth was attacked by the Goa'uld, don't you think everyone on your planet would band together to fight them?"

Wells gave a sarcastic laugh. "Yeah, right. They'd all be too busy arguing who was going to be in charge of everything."

"Shh," Zysac held a gloved finger up to his lip. "We are getting to the point where we will start seeing people. If anyone asks, you are here for the tournament."

"Tournament?" Kashoku inquired, but the Al Bhed didn't have a chance to answer as people began to form in their sights.

The majority were black mages or thieves dressed in extremely dark colors. Kashoku would have been a blinking target had she worn anything else. Keeping her hat down low she let the shadow cast itself over her face in an attempt to hide herself. If someone looked hard enough they'd know who she was.

"Zysac!" A male mage dressed in dark blues and blacks waved from the door of a store that sold accessories going from the sign written above.

"Crytas!" Zysac waved back. "Good to see you hanging around."

Crytas approached and looked up and down at SG-15. "Haven't seen them around before."

"We're here for the tournament," Ellis responded firmly, scowl set firmly in place. "Ah," the mage mused in approval, "wonderful. You look like a man who can hold his own. I look forward to seeing you all fight. I will join you on your way. I have a bet to place."

Zysac began walking, leading the way and attempting to keep the conversation flowing. "How goes the tournament? I was busy with the Faction and have not had time until now to come down here."

"That stupid bitch has been beating the fuck out of everyone that enters the ring. There's a line outside the damn medic tent." He pulled out a gil card and grinned. "I'm putting everything on her. There's so much pent up rage in that girl there is no way she is going to lose." He turned his head over his shoulder to look at SG-15. "Not that I don't think any of you stand a chance or anything, but…You don't."

"More interested in watching, and placing wagers," Wells explained casually. He glanced over at Kashoku, wondering if the 'bitch' in question could possibly be the infamous Kage. Judging by the worried look on his teammate's face, it wasn't so farfetched of a thought.

Crystas didn't seem to notice, already nodding in understanding. "Better to lose your money than your life with that bitch. I wouldn't go in the ring against her." He leered at Kashoku and reached out for her. "And what about you?"

Kashoku swatted away his hand. "Don't touch me."

He licked his lips and gave Zysac a nudge. "I love the women down here. So feisty. Well, I gotta go. There's my man!" With a final clasp on the shoulder the mage left the party.

The noise level had begun rising heavily. Through a small alleyway Kashoku could see several people in a huddle cheering. That must have been where the tournament was going on.

"This way," their guide nodded, confirming Kashoku's thoughts and leading them on. Once they came through to the large room it became clear to everyone that there was no way they'd hear each other without screaming. There was no official arena or stage, simply a designate ring cornered off by people. Above the crowd was a large screen projecting the fight.

"Holy shit," Wells breathed as he watched the screen. "That girl really is beating the crap out of everyone."

Kashoku's mouth opened in shock. "That's Kage."

"_T__hat's _who we are here to convince to leave?" Ellis growled as he watched Kage break the nose of the man in the ring with her knee and throw him to the ground. "She seems to be doing just fine by herself."

"No," Kashoku said, watching in a mix of horror and guilt. "She's not fine at all." "Whose next?!" Kage shouted out angrily. A man was pushed out unwillingly into the middle of the arena with a helpless look on his face.

"That _can't _be your friend," Wells exclaimed in denial, unable to look away.

Zysac snorted, "Kage Yamino… That's her alright. You are going to have to wait until the end of the tournament to see her unless you plan on fighting. Anyone they can push into the arena they are since no one is exactly volunteering to fight her."

"She wouldn't hurt me," Kashoku assured.

"I'm pretty sure she might," Carr disagreed in disbelief as the sounds of bone cracking were projected from the screen. "I'm pretty sure she might kill you, Kashoku."

"Just–" She gave out a frustrated sigh. "Stay here," Kashoku breathed, her eyes never leaving the screen. "I just need her to see I'm here. She'll find us later."

"Kashoku!" Ellis cried out trying to stop her, but she had already disappeared into the crowd.

Zysac violently placed his hands over Ellis's mouth. "Shh! Don't call her name in here!" Thankfully it had been so loud with the chants no one took notice. With a frustrated sigh he backed away before the team made good on their sharp glares.

"Everyone knows Kashoku on Spira. Don't draw attention to her! Just act like you are interested in watching and don't do anything."

"How about I act interested in beating your face in if you do that again," Ellis threatened. "Then people might believe you actually belong here," the Al Bhed said, unimpressed with his threats.

Kashoku shoved her way through the hundreds of bodies shouting. No one paid her any attention as she moved through the crowd, but it didn't ease her nerves. Just as she could see her friend's movements through the partings of two guys at the front, her arm was forcefully grabbed and her body pulled tightly up against someone.

A hot breath fanned across her neck as a hand was placed over her lips. "Well, look who decided to come and play dress up. Honestly, Kashy, pretending to be a black mage just doesn't suit you." Releasing hold of her mouth, the man reached up for her hat and brought it down so that it covered her face as he drew her back out of the crowd.

Kashoku's heart raced in a flurried panic, knowing exactly who'd grabbed her. A gasp of pain left her as she was shoved up against a wall and a hand grabbed at her chin. When she opened her eyes, he was there staring her down. "I should have known filth like you would be down here, Ralis," she spat.

The blitzball player tightened his grip and leaned in with a snarl. "I thought I saw your best friend down here, too, you know. All over the screen, in fact."

"Not for long," she promised, eyes boring into his with pure hatred.

Ralis just laughed. "Oh, is that why you're here? To save big bad Kage from her misguided ways?" He dragged his index finger across her lips, digging his fingers into her jaw when she made to bite. "Your ambition is one of the things I so adore about you." He leaned in and pressed his lips up against hers.

With what little skills she had as a black mage, she drew up a fireball in her hand and forced it into his side. It didn't even leave a mark. She made to grab at him, any part of him, but it did little but provide a slight annoyance to the blitzball player.

"How cute, you trying to act like your friend. We don't need white magic to protect ourselves. Money can buy all the protection we need." Ralis smirked. "So, did you bring _Daniel _along on your little adventure too? I would just love to have a little chat with him and his friends."

"Daniel isn't here," Kashoku scowled, disgusted at his desire for control over her. "Leave me alone, Ralis. Just because I can't hurt you doesn't mean others can't."

He let out a genuine laugh. "What? Like _you _have friends down here. Honestly, Kashy, who is going to help you other than Kage who is otherwise occupied?"

"Us," a voice sounded in pure irritation from behind the bliztball player.

Ralis turned and looked at the four men of SG-15, all of whom had their arms crossed with glares on their faces. In the garb Kashoku had found for them, they looked little different than anyone else down there and thus didn't stand out overly in Ralis's eyes. With a snort he turned his nose up at them. "This one is already taken. Go find your own." Dismissing them he turned his attention back to Kashoku.

With an angry scowl Ellis grabbed hold of Ralis's shirt and dragged him off the ex- singer, spinning him roughly so they faced each other. "I don't think she really wants you to be touching her."

Wells extended his hand to Kashoku who gladly took it and stood by his side with Carr and Rodd at the ready.

Ralis grabbed at Ellis's hand and yanked it off. "Do you know who the hell you are messing with?!"

"I don't give a fuck who you are. You don't mess with her. I hate punks like you that think they are entitled to everything they want." There was true hatred in his features from his face to his stance.

Ralis's cheeks were burning in anger and with no warning he let lose a punch towards Ellis's left cheek. Ellis caught it in the palm of his hand and swung back aggressively with his own punch, knocking the blitzball player to the ground.

Kashoku hadn't been watching the quarrel, but instead the others in the crowd watching them. It didn't take but a second for her to notice some of her ex's acquaintances starting to hurry over once Ralis was knocked down and with her hat missing her face was out in the open. "Uh-oh, time to go!" She grabbed a hold of Wells and Ellis and started to pull them towards the wall of people around the fight floor as Carr and Rodd quickly followed.

"What are you doing!?" Wells called out in surprise as he let her lead them right in. "We can take a few guys!"

"No , you can't!" Kashoku shouted. She looked back and could see them in pursuit. With one final heavy push they broke through the crowd right into the middle of the fight.

With a gasp she jumped back as Kage's opponent fell hard at her feet. Everything went completely silent in the room. Kashoku looked up and saw Kage staring wide-eyed.

"You little bitch," Ralis growled as his group made their way into the open arena. With his right hand he reached up and wiped at the blood on his lip.

Feeling nervous and scared, Kashoku tugged at the two men she clung to and slipped in behind Kage. They had no idea what they had done by instigating a fight with Ralis.

"Always hiding behind Kage, thinking she can keep you safe," Ralis snorted.

Kage took a step further in front of Kashoku. "Because I can. I'll fucking kill you right here and right now, Ralis." Everyone seemed to take a step away from Ralis and his cohorts. "I might even have a little help."

Ralis's nostrils flared as he realized this was not a battle he was going to win. No one would back him up in fighting Kage. Snarling, he jabbed a finger directly at them. "This is not over."

Kage snorted in amusement. "Yeah, you're right. Next time I see you I'm not going to hold back from crushing your skull."

"Kage, please, let's go," Kashoku pleaded softly from behind her friend.

Kage turned her head slightly to acknowledge her and nodded. "Yeah. Come on." With no hesitation she began walking forward, the crowd parting to make a hole for them as they moved, no one challenging them. Ralis's friends even moving forward to pull him farther back in case he thought to. No one wanted to tangle with Kage.

When they made it out of the room and back into the now-empty market place, she turned around and glowered. "What the hell are you doing down here!? You could have gotten yourself killed!"

"I was looking for you!" Kashoku frowned, "And by the looks of it you were actually _t__rying _to get yourself killed!"

Kage huffed in disagreement. "I was doing just fine. And what the hell are you doing back on Spira? We don't need you here."

"Oh, really?" Kashoku grabbed Kage's arm and made her stop. "Look at these wounds, Kage! Some of these are old! Why haven't you seen a mage or at least bought supplies from an alchemist?! Gippal and Yuna told me you have been depressed ever since I left."

"Ha!" Kage barked out a harsh laugh. "Is _that _why you are here? Gippal and Yuna told you I was trying to kill myself because you left? I don't care that you left."

"Is that so?" Kashoku asked, not believing the words leaving her friend's mouth. "Fine, then we'll leave without you." She turned her head to look at SG-15 who had been letting the two talk without interruption. "Time to go home."

Kage stood there with her arms crossed as she watched the five pass her towards the entrance of the dungeon. Just as they were about to be out of sight she called out, "Wait!"

Ellis sighed as they stopped. "I was kind of hoping we'd make it out of here without her." "If it wasn't for her we wouldn't have made it out," Kashoku spoke as she turned around. "Yeah, and if it wasn't for her we wouldn't have been down here in the first place."

Kage walked up, arms crossed and shoulders hunched forward, jaw clenched but head hanging low. "Can… Can you at least heal me before you go? Maybe up on _Wing_?"

Kashoku sighed. Ellis was giving her a look that said "Don't you dare," but she couldn't help it. "Come on…" In silence they made their way out of the dungeons and back into the bustling city to return to _Wing_.

"Stop it," Kashoku scolded, gripping tighter onto Kage's forearm. "I know it doesn't hurt."

"It hurts my pride," the other woman scowled, "excruciatingly so."

"No one forced you to come back with us. In fact, I think Major Ellis would have preferred you didn't. Why were you down there, Kage? Why did you go back to Shika?" Her eyes were filled with concern.

"I didn't go down there for Shika," Kage scoffed. "I just needed some people to beat up on, and who better than a group of assholes who deserve it? Who the hell are the newbies from Earth, anyway?"

Kashoku stood from her kneeling position and sat next to her friend on the bed. "They are my team."

"So you aren't with SG-1?" Genuine surprise filled her voice.

Kashoku shook her head. "No. In fact, I don't get to see Daniel very much. Plus, my team hates them more than you."

"Ha!" Kage smirked. "I like them already. They did a damn better job of protecting you from Ralis, that's for sure."

"Mm," she agreed. "I think my team has a much higher tendency for violence. But I thought you hated all Earthlings."

Letting herself fall back against the bed, Kage responded, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Kashoku stood suddenly, a look of anger and realization on her face. "You don't hate Earth at all! You just hate Daniel for taking me away." Turning away she walked through the doorway, the door sliding just in time, and storming back towards the bridge where her team waited.

"Our life was fine until he came here!" Kage shouted as she followed suit.

Kashoku spun around, hands on her hips. "Yes, Kage, our lives _were _fine, but they were far from perfect. Sometimes you have to take risks for the chance things might get _better_. I feel like I have a purpose on Earth helping my team fight those who would harm us in this galaxy! What reason do I have to remain on Spira?"

"ME!" her friend shouted angrily, as though the answer should have been obvious. Kashoku clenched her jaw. "And you accuse me of being selfish. Maybe you should think about something greater than yourself for once."

"Oh, look at you, standing there almighty and talking like you even give a shit! The only reason you even went to Earth was for purely _selfish _reasons!"

"Maybe so, but after all the danger I have put myself in for you, I think I deserve it!" She spun around and headed for the pilot's seat. "We're going home." Carr's expression read of disappointment, but he kept silent. "You can leave us at Cactuar Nation. _Wing _is yours."

"Fine," Kage responded, voice filled with venom.

"You honestly are just going to give her your ship?" Ellis growled disapprovingly. "Well, I can't exactly use her on Earth, now can I? And I'd rather her take _Wing _than steal a ship from someone else."

"Aren't you afraid she'd wreck it?" Wells asked, knowing he never let anyone ever fly his planes.

"She was devastated when her ship was destroyed by the Jaffa. It's one thing I can expect her to take great care of." Kashoku's locked her jaw and gave her team an incredibly stubborn look, telling them in no further words that she was done with this discussion.

With a heavy sigh they remained in silence until _Wing _settled itself into the sands of Bikanel. It was still extremely dark, but the cave was not far from their landing site.

"Come on, let's go." Standing, Kashoku made her way to the lift that would take them to the lower level. She made eye contact with Kage as her team walked by. Brown orbs started into ice with sadness, but neither of them said anything. Feeling slightly defeated, Kashoku walked into the lift and watched as Kage fell out of sight.

"You aren't going to try and make things up with her? After all that damn trouble we went through to get her out of her _depression_?" Ellis asked, irritated the mission really had been a failure. "She's just going to go right back there."

"Kage was depressed," Kashoku said simply as the doors opened to the lower level. "Well, depressed in her sense, but the only thing that is going to solve the problem is if I stay here and rejoin our sphere hunting team. Even if I wanted to, you made it quite clear you were not going to let that happen." She waved her hand in front of the glowing orb and the ramp lowered. "Trying to stay and apologize or put everything right would only make things worse. She'd know I'd still eventually leave and would get more irritated the longer I lingered. It's better…to just leave it the way it ended."

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry it didn't work out," Wells said with full sincerity. "Me, too..." Kashoku frowned sadly.

They made their way through the cave with the help of the lights on their weapons and to the Stargate. Kashoku pressed the correct combination for Earth into the DHD and then the center orange button to engage the wormhole. It filled the cave with a brilliant light. Kashoku was the last to go through, giving one last look over her shoulder before walking through the puddle.

The gate did not disengage as soon as she walked through like it normally did. Ignoring it, she made her way towards the end of the ramp until she heard rushed footsteps clank heavily against the metal behind her. The event horizon disappeared as she swung around, a bent over Kage staring her right in the face.

"You turned your back on me once," Kage huffed between heavy breaths. "I'm not letting you do it again."


	11. Chapter 11

Kashoku couldn't believe it. "Kage, what are you doing?!" The soldiers who guarded the gate room all had guns on her, remembering the vents the last time Kage paid the SGC a visit.

Still panting, Kage removed her ring and pulled out a large bracer that she tossed at Kashoku's feet. Her warrior sphere dissipated into regular Spiran fashion. "You were all I had on Spira. Wherever you go, I'll follow."

Kashoku picked up the ring and the bracer. It was Kage's garment grid, containing all of her spheres. Kage had to have been planning this all along. A part of her heart skipped; Ellis had been wrong. Kage hadn't planned on keeping her on Spira after all. "Kage," Kashoku shook her head sadly, switching to Japanese for their privacy, "you can't stay here, not after what you did last time. They won't let you. Go home."

"What the hell is going on here?!" Hammond demanded as he entered the embarkation room.

Ellis shrugged nonchalantly. "She followed us through, sir. Hard to tell who is behind you in a cave."

"Kashoku, what is the meaning of this?" Hammond glared daggers at their new visitor standing on the ramp. "I know you went to Spira to help her, but there was never any mention of bringing her back."

"Sir, I'm sorry. I had no idea she was planning this."

"Sergeant, dial the gate back to Spira as soon as Ms. Yamino is clear of the ramp," Hammond barked at the control room above.

"Sir, wait, please," Kashoku begged. "Let her stay."

Hammond looked appalled at the request. "Are you out of your mind? The last time she was on my base she tried to take it out in its entirety and threatened several of my men. Ms. Yamino has made it very clear she wants nothing to do with Earth, so why don't we just send her on her way?"

"She's already given up her dress spheres and her ring. She is completely defenseless." There was a huge part of Kashoku that was screaming at her to stop defending Kage and let her go right back through the gate, but all her deepest instincts were telling her to fight. Kage had willingly, without prompting, given up her every defense and to Kashoku that said so much more than words ever could. She couldn't not believe Kage, even knowing how it might turn out.

Hammond's nostrils flared. "Take her to a holding cell. In my office, now, Ms. Yoshiko."

Kashoku's head lowered and her shoulders slumped as Hammond stormed past her. Kage said nothing, cooperating fully, as the soldiers took hold of her and escorted her out.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?!" Ellis scowled, arms crossed tightly against his chest. "That crazy bitch almost got us all killed and now you want her to stay here? Your choice in friends is questionable, Kashoku."

They just didn't understand. Kashoku didn't look at her team leader as she spoke, "People make mistakes. They deserve a second chance." Keeping her eyes cast to the ground she brushed past them and made her way towards Hammond's office.

Ellis gave a loud growl of frustration. "She doesn't belong here."

"I don't know, sir," Wells shrugged, trying to simmer down the escalating emotions. "Could be fun for the Marines around here."

"I was talking about Kashoku." That gained him surprised looks from all three of the remaining members. "She has too big of a heart and a conscience. Those things don't make good soldiers." His glance at Rodd was brief, but noticeable.

Wells argued internally whether to speak or not, knowing his team leader's history and the things he had done out in battle. It was something that was never talked about. "Maybe a conscience is what we need."

Rodd's face turned bright red at his leader's accusations and Wells sighed. "Rodd, man, having a conscience is what separates us from them… It's just, you can't have it when that gun is in your hand. Pull the trigger and feel bad about it later. Look, you know Major Ellis and Carr did a bunch of infantry work. It's what they are trained to do; kill without question. Don't worry about it. Go get cleaned up and go home, okay?"

Rodd nodded, still looking upset about his teammates' comments. "Yeah… Thanks, sir."

Wells gave him a pat on the shoulder as Rodd left and slowly followed after him. He'd change and stick around. Kashoku was going to need someone after the yelling she was definitely getting from Hammond, and as usual, SG-1 was never around when someone else might need them.

Kashoku hesitated and took a deep, deep breath before knocking. She could feel her entire body shaking. There was a muffled 'enter' and she turned the knob, slowly closing the slate gray door behind her. She kept her gaze lowered, unable to bear looking the general in the eyes.

"I'm at a loss of words over this, Kashoku," he began. He did not offer for her to sit, or make any of the usual kind gestures he normally did when she was invited to his office. What a difference it made to be on the other side of the man's favor. "Kage attempted to attack several of my men the last time she was here. I don't know how it works on Spira, but that sort of thing lands you in jail on Earth.

"This person, this person who accused us of wanting to steal everything from Spira without return, who has shown _zero_ interest in maintaining a positive relationship with us and has in fact _encouraged_ hostile relations, is the one you now want me to grant access to this base. Do you understand why I find that request a little hard to swallow?"

"Sir, I know the last visit got a little out of hand," - she took another breath trying to calm herself - "but she's already relinquished all her weapons, willingly, and she's had a change of heart."

"Change of heart?!" he bellowed. "Kage made it _quite _clear last time she was here that she _hated_ SG-1 and everyone on this base – hell, this whole damn planet! And suddenly, after months of no contact, I'm to believe that she's had a change of heart?"

Bracing against his words she closed her eyes, trying to gather all her thoughts and emotions. She hadto convince General Hammond. Her very being was demanding it, but she didn't know _how_. "Sir," she pleaded, "have you never done something completely irrational out of desperation?"

"What exactly was she so desperate over, Ms. Yoshiko? Finding some way to ruin our treaty?" he asked angrily, palms flat against the desk.

"Losing me!" Kashoku finally met his gaze desperately. "Sir, I don't know why this is something so extremely difficult for any of your people to understand. Maybe none of you have had a friendship that goes as deep as ours, and for that I am truly sorry, but we were all each other had on Spira. All Kage knew to do to keep me from leaving was to act out violently. But it's different this time! She's realized that I won't go back to Spira, not permanently, and this is her only option. I beg you to give her a second chance!"

Hammond's nostrils flared as he sucked in a breath, posture calming slightly, but not losing any of its authority. "You have done a great deal for this base, Kashoku, but saving lives does not give you the right to try and force my hand on this. Kage is a threat to the SGC, and I have to consider more than just your opinion of her character in this. As I recall, you were unable to keep her in line before."

She glanced away, feeling helpless frustration over the whole situation. Why did Kage have to be so difficult last time that Kashoku had to resort to begging for her now? And General Hammond was right. Kashoku's word when it came to Kage wouldn't mean anything if Kage herself didn't agree to it. Perhaps that was the solution. "Sir, if you will not take my word for it, then please take hers. Give her the chance to say her piece."

Hammond said nothing for a long moment, fingers curling and uncurling in thought, before standing straight and answering, "I will think about letting her speak her mind, but that is all. I do not want you visiting her until I've made my decision. If she is going to say anything to me, it will be from her own mouth and not yours. Is that understood?"

Kashoku swallowed hard, feeling completely numb as relief flooded her body. She nodded her head several times, simply wanting to get out of the seemingly cramped office.

"You're dismissed."

Without looking back at him, she opened the door and shut it behind her, leaning up against it with closed eyes.

"Jesus, what did he say?!"

Kashoku's eyes snapped open in surprise and shock at hearing a voice. Standing in front of her in jeans, a dark polo, and a leather jacket was Wells. With a heavy heart she responded, "Can we just get out of here?"

Wells jingled his keys in front of her. "That's why I'm here! I'll meet you at the front gate after you get changed. Make sure to bring a light jacket; a cold front came through."

"You've been outside already?" Kashoku asked curiously as they began to walk together.

Wells laughed as they neared the locker rooms. "Remind me to show you ." He gave a wave of his hand as he continued past, leaving her behind.

True to his word, he was waiting to swipe Kashoku out by the gate fifteen minutes later.

"So, where to?" The sound of her boots hitting the concrete echoed in the garage, though it was not much emptier than any other time she'd seen it. The SGC always had many personnel on duty.

"The usual, of course! McCabe's Tavern!" He grinned in response.

"Isn't that where we went last time?" she asked, finding the name familiar.

"That's why it's the usual," Wells mocked teasingly. "I think Michelle is working tonight."

"Robbie's wife?" She blinked curiously as he opened the door to his sports car for her.

"Yup," he responded before shutting it and moving to his side of the vehicle. "He just wanted to go home and go to bed when I asked though."

The drive to the Irish tavern went by mostly in silence, a sharp contrast to the music drifting out towards its parking lot. It was only just beginning to fill up with people, many of whom looked fairly young. "College kids," Wells leaned close to explain. "It's Thursday, so they're going to be everywhere. Give it another hour, though, and some more of our guys will show up to even things out."

Kashoku assumed 'our guys' meant more SGC personnel, but before she could ask Wells to confirm that, he was lifting a hand in greeting and moving away. Quickly, Kashoku followed him.

"Hey, gorgeous!" The woman behind the bar beamed at Wells. He leaned in and they kissed each other on the cheek. She had very dark hair that was held up in a ponytail full of curls with strands hanging down around her face. Light brown eyes were rimmed in heavy lines of black. "I haven't seen you in forever!"

"Yeah, well, been busy," he responded as he took a seat at the bar.

"So Robbie says. He sent me a text message that he was going home to pass out. Not even a call. Must have been a rough one, not that he can actually tell me or anything." She shrugged, used to the secrets her husband had to keep. It was then that she noticed Kashoku as she took a seat, and her eyes lit up. "Oh! You must be Kashoku! I'm Michelle." She wiped a hand off on a rag and extended it out.

Kashoku took it and smiled. "I've heard a lot about you. It's nice to finally meet you."

"Well, Robbie told me about the get together with Amy and Matt this weekend. Count me in! I'll bring the goods." She held up several bottles of beer and smirked playfully. "What can I get you two?"

"Get me a Carbomb with another Guinness to chase," Wells said, pulling out his card to start a tab.

Michelle's eyes grew wide in surprise. "Geez, hitting it hard. God, Robbie wasn't kidding. I hope you aren't the one driving."

"Come on," Wells said, insulted by her comment. "Like that could really get me drunk. She can't drive anyways, so we're stuck."

The woman gave a strange look towards the Spiran. "You can't drive?"

Kashoku blushed in embarrassment. "I spent most of my life being pretty sheltered. My parents were…very traditional." It had been the story Daniel had told her to use. She didn't fully understand it, but whenever she mentioned it people seemed to go with it.

"Oh," she said sympathetically, "those kind of parents, huh? Like, women kind of suck and can't do shit? Well, don't you worry; Brandon and Robbie will change all of that for you. What would you like?"

"Get her a Carbomb too!" Wells's eyes twinkled deviously as he looked at his teammate.

Kashoku shook her head. "Wait, I'm not drinking anything until I know what it is after last time."

Michelle pulled out a chilled glass and began filling it with a dark liquid and then set it on the counter. Pulling out a much smaller glass she filled it with two different liquids. "You drop this shot into the beer and then chug the entire thing," she explained.

Kashoku's mouth dropped. "No."

"Oh, come on!" Wells pleaded. "Live dangerously."

"Don't you think we do enough of that as it is?!"

"Nah. Come on. You need to take your mind off of everything. Do it!"

With a heavy sigh Kashoku shook her head. "Why do I feel I can't say no to you?"

A sly grin slowly crept up on his lips as he leaned in close to her. "Never..? So I could ask you to do _anything_?"

Kashoku playfully shoved at him "That's not what I meant!"

"Get her the damn drink on me!"

Michelle poured another glass of Guinness and another shot and placed them on the counter in front of Kashoku. With a roll of her eyes she added, "Aren't the two of you just fucking adorable?"

Wells let Kashoku go and held the pint in one hand and the shot glass in the other. "On three." He waited for Kashoku to follow suit before he started counting, "One, two, three." They each dropped the shot glass into the beer and began chugging. Wells downed it without a further thought, but it was clear by her facial expression that the Spiran was struggling to get it down.

When she had finally finished her face was twisted in disgust. "I don't ever want to do that one again."

Michelle laughed. "What can I get you that's more your fancy?"

Kashoku didn't really know and indicated as such with a shake of her head. "Something not so bitter."

"I'll cook ya up something fruity," the bartender said as she began pulling bottles from her shelf to mix a deep red drink. "I'm impressed you even went through with it."

"Hey,_ pendejo! _I can't believe your _fundío_!"

Kashoku's eyes grew wide in fear as a woman with dark hair and brown skin grabbed Wells's shoulder firmly, radiating aggression. A very tall man appeared on Wells's other side, dirty blonde haired and muscled, and with a scowl that sent shivers up her spine.

Wells's shocked face turned to a grin as he met their faces. "What's up, fuckers?!"

The strangers' scowls turned into instant smiles and the woman let go of Wells, slapping his back and beginning to rib him on how scared he had looked. Kashoku let out a breath she had been holding in. They were…friends?

"Why the fuck didn't you call us telling us you'd be here, man?" the other man asked as he gave a curious type of handshake to the pilot.

"Sort of a last minute thing, sorry. She needed to get out," he pointed to Kashoku. "Kashy, this is Captain Ramirez and Captain Bentley. They are on SG-11. We work together with them on a lot of missions."

Ramirez cocked her hip as she crossed her arms, giving Kashoku a look over. "So, you're the _puta bonita_, eh?"

Kashoku blinked, throwing Wells an uncertain glance. "I'm not sure what that means."

"You'll have to excuse her," Bentley apologized, "she's _La-tina._" He emphasized the word with his tongue.

Ramirez swirled around so that she was facing Bentley with a vicious scowl. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean, _pendejo_?"

Instead of recoiling like any normal person, the captain wiggled his eyebrows and gave a low purr. "Oh, feisty tonight, aren't we?"

While the two started a bitching match, Wells decided to fill in the considerably confused Kashoku. "Ramirez's first language isn't English, either. She likes to mix the two together a lot. Usually you can figure it out with some context clues. Always assume she's saying something vulgar and insulting about you, because she usually is."

"Oh," she said, understanding. "What was it she called me?"

Wells simply grinned. "So. How about I teach you how to play pool?"

Kashoku cocked her head, trying to remember if she had heard that term before. "Ah! Is that the game with the balls you hit with a stick?"

He laughed. "Yeah, more or less." He turned and interrupted the snarling going on behind him. "Hey! Let's fucking shoot some pool."

"Fine!" Ramirez stepped back from Bentley with one last comment Kashoku didn't quite understand the meaning of, gave Wells what was called 'the finger', and spun around to go claim one of the playing tables on the far side of the room.

"This is going to be _fun_," Bentley laughed, looking unfazed by the vitriol that had been thrown his way. Kashoku supposed being on the same team helped with that. "You guys head over. I'll grab us some drinks. Yo, Michelle!"

"If SG-11 is such good friends of yours, why haven't we met until now?" Kashoku asked Wells curiously.

"Oh," Wells started hesitantly. "They kind of had a mission go really bad. No one got hurt or anything but…they don't' like to talk about it. You won't be able to get Ramirez to shut up for days if you bring it up."

"Hm," Kashoku hummed thoughtfully, trying to figure what could have been so bad that it caused no harm but kept the team there for an extended period of time.

Ramirez eyed Kashoku as they joined her at the table. "Just so you know, I'm not taking mercy on her just because she's a newbie."

Wells shrugged, picking out the properly weighted stick from the rack. "We're not playing for anything."

The Latina rolled her eyes, but didn't discuss the issue further. "So, Kashy," she began as she racked the balls into the triangle in the appropriate manner, "when is that _mamaverga_ of yours going to get himself into so much trouble we have to come rescue his ass? I'm shocked it hasn't happened since you've come."

Kashoku assumed the person in question was Daniel. "Do they get into such bad trouble that two teams have to go save them often?" That worried her a lot.

"Ha!" Bentley snorted, having caught the tail end of her question as he reached them with a tray of drinks. "Come on, surely Brandon and Robbie have told you stories? If you combined all the teams there and added up how many times they've all had to be 'rescued', it wouldn't equal half of the times we've had to go bail them out. It's fucking ridiculous and insulting."

With a heavy sigh through her nostrils she took hold of the stick Wells had retrieved for her. "Can we change the subject?" she asked, just as Ramirez caught sight of the tray of drinks and let out a curse. "And Daniel isn't my anything right now, ok?"

"Trouble in paradise?" Ramirez asked, but quickly changed subjects, not caring enough to dive too far into it. "Speaking of insulting, what the hell is that, _pendejo_?!"

"What?" Bentley feigned innocence. "I got us drinks! Are you turning down free booze, Ramirez?"

"_Vete a la verga culero_!" Ramirez snapped, grabbing the glass of Guinness from Bentley's hand and drinking half of it down to his loud "What the fuck?!" of protest.

Wells snorted and reached over to grab the other beer and the red drink Michelle had made for Kashoku just before Ramirez and Bentley showed up. "Here, for you."

"I don't understand," Kashoku said, glancing from the arguing pair and back to the pale green drink still on the tray. "What am I missing?"

"Bentley got her a margarita," Wells said, grinning a bit over the rim of his glass. "It's not as girly as what you've got, but still more of a girl drink than anything, which might be enough to irritate her anyway considering everyone knows Ramirez's the hard liquor type, but that asshole likes to call her that from time to time." At Kashoku's curious glance, he elaborated more. "Makes fun of her heritage."

Kashoku frowned. "Why would he do that?"

"It's Bentley. He's kind of dick, but you get used to it after a while." Wells grabbed a square of blue chalk and threw it at the man in question, grinning when it left a blue smudge on his neck. "Less flirting, more shooting, ladies. Are you marines or not?"

"Fuck you, Brandon," Bentley said, but he moved back and grabbed the margarita up for himself, apparently not actually all that bothered to be drinking it.

Ramirez smirked and took a pointed drink from her Guinness again before she removed the ball rack from the table, hanging it back up on a hook on the light. "I'll break." She picked up the plain white ball and positioned it across the table.

"That ball," Wells pointed to the white one, "is the cue ball. You hit that ball in order to hit the other ones. She's going to do what's called 'breaking'. She'll hit the triangle formation to scatter the balls across the table."

Ramirez maneuvered the stick through her fingers in small motions before she put power behind it and the balls flew across the table. Two balls found their way into pockets.

"Okay, she hit in two balls. Both of them were striped ones. That means their team is trying to hit in all the striped balls, and we hit in the solids, but not the black one. Hitting that one in right now would be _very_ bad," he explained.

"Why?" Kashoku questioned.

"Because if you hit that one in before you've cleared all your other balls off the table, you lose," Ramirez explained as she positioned herself to shoot again. "Because I hit one in, I get to shoot again."

Kashoku watched as Ramirez took another shot. The ball she had been aiming for just missed going into the pocket and she let out hiss of a word in her native language.

"Okay, come on, I'll teach you how to shoot," Wells said with a pat on her shoulder. "Let's go for the 3, the red one." He put his hands on her shoulders and moved her to the correct spot at the table for the best angle. He maneuvered each of her fingers where they needed to be, his body touching close up against hers. Warm air from his lips breathed gently against her neck and she felt herself shiver slightly. Once he had positioned her hand correctly he pointed at a spot on the cue ball. "Aim for that spot. Just let the stick slide through your fingers."

He moved away only enough to not get hit by the stick when Kashoku shot. He was still pressed up against her left side. She kept her focus on the spot he had pointed to and let the stick glide through her fingers to that spot. The ball she had been aiming for didn't go in the pocket, but she had managed to hit it. "That wasn't very good, was it?"

"You hit it. Count that as a victory," Ramirez said. "There are times when this guy can't even manage that."

"Shut up, bitch," Bentley snapped with creased eyebrows. "It was one time!"

"Yeah, and the cue ball went flying halfway across the damn room. Your sorry ass can't play this game for shit. My partner might as well be the fucking wall!"

Kashoku took a step back from the table, clutching the stick to her as the teammates went off _again_. "Are they always like this?"

Wells grinned as he lit a cigarette. "Pretty much. Believe when I say it's merely coincidence they are here together. But I think deep down they love each other." He noted the ex-singer's extremely dubious look. "Come on, it can't be that hard to believe. If you and Kage can be friends…"

Kashoku gave a reluctant nod. "True…"

They continued to play the game, with Wells mentoring Kashoku each step of the way. Their team had won all but one round, but it was more so from the fact that Wells was just too good to let Kashoku's inexperience bring him down. Bentley was just as bad as Ramirez had accused, and it made the Spiran feel somewhat better about her own terrible skills.

Wells went to take a drink of his beer and realized that there was nothing but an empty glass in his hand. "Damn it! I'm out! Kashy, let's get another one!"

Kashoku nodded with a grin, her cheeks bright red. "Okay!" She grabbed at his hand and dragged him over to where Michelle was at the bar giggling the entire way.

Michelle raised an eyebrow at them when they finally made it in a laughing fit. "You better be here to ask me to close out," she said firmly.

Wells was about to open his mouth to protest, but the glare in her eyes got through to him even in his buzzed state. "Yeah…I think we've had enough." He remembered the last time he tried to fight with the Mrs. Carr. It didn't go well.

"Uh-huh," she said as she made her way towards the register, shuffling through the stack of cards to find which one belonged to the captain before authorizing the bill. With more force than was really necessary she jammed the pen down on top of the receipt for him to sign. "I should call you guys a cab."

"I'm fine, Chellie!" Wells insisted as he left the hefty tip he always did for her and signed the bottom line. Crumpling up the second receipt he placed it in the pocket of his leather jacket.

"You sure you're going to be okay?" Kashoku giggled. She went to take a step forward and found herself reaching out for his arm to steady herself as she stumbled.

Wells caught her with ease, grabbing at her tiny waist to secure her. When she looked up to thank him their eyes caught and froze; their faces were so close together that he could feel her breathing against his skin. Acting purely on impulse he leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers.

Kashoku's eyes widened in shock, but she did nothing to push him away. After several seconds, with her heart throbbing in her ears, she closed her eyes and placed her fingertips against his jaw line. The kiss started off gentle, but before she realized it her fingers were interlaced with the hair on the back of his neck and he had pulled her closer to himself. With a content sigh she let him draw himself back slowly so they could breathe. Through long lashes she gazed up at him and watched as he swallowed hard, his face quickly shifting to show shock and regret.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't drive you home. Ramirez can take you." With his right hand he pushed himself away from Kashoku and the bar and briskly walked towards the door.

He was already reaching for the handle when Kashoku found her voice again. "Brandon-," she started, but he was already gone.

Having seen Wells's rushed exit, Ramirez glanced back to Kashoku at the bar, raising an eyebrow in curiosity at the other woman's miserable expression. Tossing her stick off to Bentley – who gave her a sharp glare – she made her way towards the frozen Spiran. "Everything okay, _puta bonita_? Where did Wells run off too?"

Kashoku blinked several times before slowly turning her head to answer. "I… He just said that you could take me home."

Crossing her arms, the Latina snorted. "Did he now? That stupid piece of- Hey, Michelle, close me out, will ya?"

Michelle nodded as she passed by. "Sure thing." Her gaze never left Kashoku.

Ramirez's eyes narrowed in acknowledgment. "Wait here while I close out, Kashy." Without waiting for a response, she followed Michelle down the length of the bar where she knew she'd be out of earshot of the ex-singer. "Hey, they get in a fight?"

Michelle gave an amused snort as she authorized the card and pulled off the receipts the machine spat out, handing them and the credit card over. "Hardly. I don't know the circumstances, but Robbie mentioned something about her and another guy at work?"

Oh. "Oi…Never mind." She signed off on the receipt and pocketed her card. "Hey, _puta bonita_, let's go."

Hesitantly Kashoku followed out after her. Ramirez's car was like Wells's: sleek, expensive, and loud. Kashoku stayed silent as Ramirez backed out of the parking spot and merged onto the main road. She stared out the window as the buzz quickly wore itself off, tempered a lot by Wells's abrupt departure.

"So," Ramirez said after a while, tired of the silence. "What happened?"

Kashoku's jaw clenched at the question. Swallowing hard but keeping her eyes out the window she answered, "He kissed me."

"Okay," she responded casually, "and did you kiss back?"

"Yes." Turning her attention away from the road and towards the woman driving she asked, "Why did he respond the way he did when he initiated it?"

Ramirez laughed. "Because drunk people do shit they normally wouldn't all the damn time. Kissing someone is hardly the worst thing I've done while drunk."

Kashoku frowned. "So, you are saying he didn't want to kiss me?"

"Ah, no," she said, trying to contain her amusement at the Spiran's naivety, "he really wanted to kiss you. It's just he normally wouldn't do it because you're seeing someone else. I mean, are you seeing Jackson?"

"Yes…no. I don't know. I don't think so. Not right now, anyways," she shrugged. "I told him I needed to think on if we should pursue it or not. So early on he decided not to trust me. I don't know how I feel about that, yet."

"Well, probably better to figure it all out now until you are too deep." The Latina stole a glance over at Kashoku before asking, "So you liked it?"

Kashoku let out a huge sigh. "I'm confused about what I feel."

Ramirez leaned back into her seat and took one hand off the steering wheel to lay it on the arm rest. "Well, if you and Jackson aren't exclusive it's okay to see other people…you know? Play the field. See what you like. You just got here. Explore what our world has to offer. Come on, Kashy, you are a fine piece of ass. All those men in that bar would eat shit off the ground just to get a chance to touch your breasts. You shouldn't get all tied down before you've even had a chance to get out there and see what there is to catch. It's better than what you got, I can tell you that."

She shifted her car into a higher gear and continued on. "I'm not saying don't be with Jackson or whatever. I'm just saying that there is a planet filled with eight billion people on it and you should take advantage of that before you start settling down."

"Hm," Kashoku hummed in understanding of her point. "Do you think, then, that I should give Brandon a chance?"

Ramirez laughed. "Hell no. It would be a fucking terrible idea, _puta_. Being involved with a teammate causes all sorts of problems out on the battlefield. You need to stop leading him on. Remember, he's Air Force. His pansy ass can't take all the emotional bullshit from it."

Kashoku gave an appalled gasp. "I don't lead him on!"

"Bitch_, _please! He tells us all the time about how just the two of you hang out."

Kashoku crossed her arms in irritation. "Major Ellis and Robbie have families to go home to, and talking with Jeremy is…"

"Like talking to a wall?"

"Hn. And Daniel….Daniel is always gone!" She let the last part out with such frustration that her right fist actually hit the door.

"Ah," Ramirez said as she settled back against her seat, getting comfortable again. "So the truth comes out. "

"I'm not unhappy with the idea of being with Daniel," Kashoku began with a shake of her head. She bit at her lip to keep the tears from coming out as she stared out the passenger window. "I'm unhappy that I left Spira initially to be able to be with him and I still see nothing of him."

"But you see Brandon every day, and with him it seems so easy…" Sucking in a deep breath, Ramirez continued, "Love ain't easy, _puta_. It's why so many people that work at the SGC are all alone. Major Ellis has a bad day and he can't even tell his wife about it. He can't say a damn thing and she just has to take it. You think that's easy on a marriage? But they make it work because they love each other. At least you and Jackson get to talk to each other about what the fuck happened at work that day."

The Latina propped her driving elbow against the window and cast a quick glance towards the city from the mountain side they were driving on. "I still think you should go and have fun, but I'm just saying any relationship you hope to have while working at the SGC is going to be just like this."

Kashoku chose not to respond to her lecture as she touched her forehead to the cool glass of the window. When the car finally came to a stop it took Ramirez shaking her shoulder for her to even register it. "Oh…you'll need to walk me in."

She nodded. "Yeah, sure, no problem." Throwing open the door to the car she swung her legs out and pushed herself out of the vehicle, slamming the door shut behind her.

Kashoku followed behind her absently. It wasn't until they were in the elevator that she realized Ramirez was still with her. "Oh, you only had to get me through the gate. You can go."

"Yeah, I know, but I figured I'd make sure you were alright. You haven't exactly been all there since we were in the car. I didn't mean to lecture you. I'm sure your first impression of me is absolutely fantastic, but I do it because we are all family here and I care. I have a huge family - sisters, a brother, and too damn many cousins to count. I know everything there is to know about the matters of the heart and otherwise." The elevator doors opened and she pushed off the wall with the bottom of her boot heel and began walking side-by-side with Kashoku. "SG-15 and -11 are close. We are all sorts of fucked up," she laughed, "but we love each other. We have each others' back. We're _familia_. There ain't nothing more important to my people than _familia_, _puta_. You're one of us now, so you better deal with it."

Kashoku gave an honest smile as she stopped in front of her room door. "Thank you, really. It will be nice to have someone to talk to who-"

"Doesn't have a dick?" She smiled. "Yeah, I know the feeling."

Kashoku gave a curt laugh. "I enjoy talking to Sam, but she's always gone like Daniel."

"Well, if you ever need to talk, Brandon can show you where our office is, alright?"

Kashoku nodded. "Have a good night, Captain."

"You, too, _puta bonita_."

The warning klaxons rang out giving warning that someone was trying to dial in to the base. Sitting in his usual chair behind the glass overlooking the gateroom, Chief Master Sergeant Walter Harriman waited patiently for the IDC code to show up on screen so he could open the Iris. A good assumption was that it was SG-1, right on time for once, but after being around the SGC for as long as he had he'd take no chances.

Sure enough, there it was; SG-1's code popped up on the screen. He reached over and pressed his palm to the pad so the Iris would open. Shortly afterward, SG-1 came through the gate with O'Neill in the lead. They didn't seem to be in any hurry to come down the ramp for a change meaning they had left the enemy on the other side. General Hammond informed them that they were to be debriefed in two hours, which gave them more than enough time to be checked over in the infirmary to O'Neill's dismay.

The team dropped off their gear at the armory before heading for Dr. Fraiser's domain. None of them enjoyed the post mission check ups despite knowing why it was so necessary. They waited for Dr. Fraiser to get to them, but she hardly seemed in any hurry. Everyone in the infirmary looked busy. A few of the nurses were wearing variations of the White Mage garb as they worked on mastering as much of the white magic as they could.

Out of the corner of his eye O'Neill saw Daniel looking around with a frown on his face. He looked around himself to see what it was Daniel was doing and then it dawned on him.

"Looking for Kashoku?" he asked.

"I figured she'd be down here helping with the magic," Daniel admitted.

"She can't be spending all her time down here," Sam reminded him. "She has duties with her team."

"Yeah, I guess," Daniel replied glumly as Janet walked over to let them know she was ready to start.

As it had been just a simple reconnaissance mission and nothing of any real note had happened—an admittedly rare occurrence for SG-1—the debriefing was short. As soon as Hammond dismissed them Daniel was the first one up and out. He practically ran down the stairs heading to where SG-15 had their offices. He figured Kashoku would most likely be there with her teammates.

Daniel opened the door to the office and poked his head in. Wells and Carr were there but there was no sign of Kashoku. The two men looked up at the sound of the door opening. Seeing Daniel, they frowned.

"She's not here," Wells informed him coldly.

"I can see that. Any idea where she is?"

"What do we look like, her keepers?" Wells scowled, his green eyes dark with irritation.

"No, I just…figured you're her team so…you would have a better idea than anyone else around here," Daniel said hesitantly, wary of the Wells's attitude.

"We haven't seen her all morning," he snapped, willing him out the door.

A little put out by Wells's hostility, Daniel left and closed the door behind him. Frowning, he continued searching. He started with her room and then made his way to Sam's lab to see if she might have been waiting for the scientist's return. Just like his previous two attempts, this one was just as futile. Out of ideas he headed for the mess hall. Even if she wasn't around he was starving.

He took a tray and put a few things on it, including his favorite blue Jell-O, and chose an empty table to sit at. He was half way though a plate of lasagna when a chair across the table from him scraped across the floor twice as someone sat down. Looking up he stared right into a familiar pair of happy brown eyes. A smile drew on his lips.

"I've been looking for you," he said, trying to sound casual and failing miserably at it.

"So I heard," Kashoku replied, smiling at him. "Wells was really grumpy. We missed each other at the office by only a couple of minutes. You could have stayed and waited for me, you know."

"I got the impression from Captain Wells that I wouldn't have been welcome. I figured it was probably safer if I tried to find you myself."

"We can both see how well that worked," she said with a hint of playfulness. "I found you first."

"In this case, I don't mind being beaten," he offered with a grin.

"So, how was your mission?" She asked, leaning her elbows on the table and resting her head in her hands.

"Boring for a change," he said after a swallow of milk. "Jack seemed disappointed by that, but I for one am glad. I really don't like getting shot at all the time."

"Hm, who would?"

"Jack doesn't seem to mind it much, but then he signed up for that sort of thing. I just wanted to study the cultures and…" Daniel trailed off and looked away from Kashoku.

"And what?"

He sighed and continued. "And find a way to get Sha're back."

"It's okay for you to talk about her in front of me," she told him. "I know she's still important to you. It won't hurt my feelings at all."

"Yes, she is." Daniel nodded and looked thoughtful. "She was an important part of my life, just like how Kage is still important to you."

Kashoku squirmed a little in her chair. "It's funny that you should bring Kage up."

The line between his brows creased. "Why's that?"

"Well," she began uncomfortably, "something happened while you were off-world that you should probably know about."

Daniel put his fork down and stared at her, a sinking feeling in his stomach. "What happened?"

"Well, you see… We got a message from Yuna and Gippal that something was going on with her and we went to Spira to check it out."

"Uh huh. And?"

She looked down at her lap. "A lot of things happened, but she followed us back through the gate."

"What?" Daniel shouted.

Kashoku flinched and leaned in to signal that he keep it down. "We didn't know she had until we got back here."

Daniel closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. "I can't believe this. After everything that happened the last time she was here? Why would she do that? Tell me Hammond sent her straight back through." He opened his eyes and looked at her when she didn't immediately reply. "Kashoku? Tell me he did."

"He didn't. She's in a holding cell right now."

Daniel snorted. "Yes, because that worked so well last time."

Kashoku took a deep breath and quickly outlined what happened on Spira and then in the gate room. "I'm not allowed to see her until Hammond has spoken with her," she finished.

Daniel was torn between sympathy for her and anger at Kage for doing this to her. The anger was easier given what Kage had done before. "How do you feel about that?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "I want to see her and I'm happy to have her here, but everyone is so angry with her…"

"Can you blame them?" He asked, his appetite gone now. "After the hell she put us through?"

"No, I can't, but I believe she wants to change."

Daniel sighed again and shook his head. "For your sake, I hope she does." He stood and picked up his tray. "Look, I have to go get that report written up, but I'll come by your room later and we can talk some more, okay?"

Kashoku looked a little confused but she nodded. "Yeah, okay."

After leaving the mess hall, Daniel headed for his office, trying to get away from Kashoku as fast as he could without looking suspicious. _Damn. _Why did she have to come back into the picture? After the shit storm she pulled the last time he couldn't understand why she had. Not only that, the woman far from approved of the relationship he had with her best friend. He stopped.

"What do you want to bet she's here to rattle things even worse than they already are between us?" He wondered aloud to himself in a soft tone. It would be just like her to do it, too. She was going to pull something. Handing over her weaponry must have been some kind of ruse.

He collapsed into his chair when he arrived, taking his glasses off and setting them down on his cluttered desk. He didn't know how long he was sitting there before someone knocked casually on his door.

"I'm busy right now; come back later," he mumbled.

"Yeah, I can see that," O'Neill drawled, coming in.

Daniel opened his eyes. "Oh, hey."

"Find Kashoku yet?"

"No, she found me." Daniel eyed him. "Why?"

"You don't look too happy. I thought seeing Kashoku after a mission perked you up."

"Normally, yes, but things are different this time. I can't help but feel…apprehensive."

"What did she say that's got you all tied up like this?"

"Kage."

"What about that psycho Amazon war-bitch from hell?"

Daniel choked, trying not to laugh. If that wasn't a perfect set of words to describe the Spiran. "Apparently, she's in a holding cell."

"On Spira I presume."

"Nope, on base."

O'Neill jumped up from his chair so fast he knocked it backwards. He was about to run out of the room before stopping and turning back to the archaeologist. "Just…say that again? I'm hearing things, right? I'm delusional. Crazy. Something happened on our mission that Doc Fraiser missed."

Daniel repeated what he said, along with what Kashoku had told him not too long ago. He watched as O'Neill's expression went from disbelieving to pissed off at an alarming speed.

"That bitch!" he ranted. "I knew it. I knew something like this was going to happen. This was their plan all along. This treaty thing of theirs was just a ploy. Her first time here was just to scope the place out, see what our defenses are like. You know how much we need the advanced weapons they have, so naturally as soon as they found out they decided to use that to their advantage. A people as advanced as they are with magic and technology wouldn't need anything we have. They're just playing us, lulling us into a false sense of security so they can… Oh, I don't know, take us over or hand us over to the Goa'uld in exchange for immunity."

"Oh, come on, Jack! That's a bit far fetched. If they meant to do something that bad to us why is Kashoku even bothering to spend all this time teaching us white magic? So we can protect ourselves from their master plan? I'm not listening to this," Daniel grabbed a few of his books and left O'Neill behind.

His face burning, he went straight to Kashoku's room, praying silently that she would be there, but she wasn't. Rather than let himself in he waited outside her door for her to come back. By the time she finally showed up his mood had cooled down from the blind rage. Just the thought off seeing her cheered him as it always did.

She frowned slightly at the sight of him. "I thought you had a mission report to write."

Daniel shrugged. "I did. Uneventful mission equals uneventful mission report, I guess."

"I see."

"Would you mind if we had that talk now?" He asked hopefully. "I could really use a distraction right now."

"Is everything alright?" Kashoku frowned, opening her door for them to go inside. She walked in and sat down on her bed.

He shut the door behind him and joined her. "It's nothing; I just want to be around someone who isn't a raving lunatic for a change. You and Teal'c are pretty much the only ones around here who fit that bill."

"Not Sam or Janet?" She asked.

"Well, them, too, but I enjoy your company more." He smiled. "I also wanted to apologize for being so brash earlier. You needed to talk and I brushed you off for a mission report."

Kashoku shook her head. "It's alright, I understand. You have duties just like everyone else. As much as I would love to monopolize all your time, I know I can't. You have a job, and so do I."

"Yeah, I know. I wish our missions didn't conflict as much as they do. You've done a great job adjusting without me, though. You'll be acting like an Earthling in no time." He smiled but then shook his head sadly. "Don't mind me. Jack's just been at it again. I think Kage coming back has him second-guessing his decision on you again. He's convinced that Kage's return here is something the two of you planned, that you're up to something sinister. You know I don't think that," he added hastily seeing the shock on her face. "It's just…Jack being Jack."

"What did you tell him?"

"Just what you told me - that Kage was back."

"Not that. Clearly he found out that she's back." She pulled her hand free from Daniel's and took another step back. "I meant what did you say about his fears?"

"I told him it was ridiculous, that you wouldn't do that."

"Is that all?" She frowned.

"What more would you want me to say?" It was Daniel's turn to be confused.

"Was it you who told Colonel O'Neill about Kage?"

Oh. With a sigh he stuck his hands in his pockets. "It may have slipped out, yes."

"Did you even try to explain why she returned?"

"I told him what you told me."

She crossed her arms. "And that's it?"

"Kashoku, after what Kage pulled last time she was here, can you really blame anyone for having a negative reaction to that news? Jack's not buying her supposed change of heart and to be honest neither am I."

"Are you saying you don't believe me?"

"No, I'm saying I don't believe _her_. I believe that you believe she's had a change of heart but I don't think she's being honest with you."

"She's been my best friend for longer than anyone here has been alive. I think I would know if she was being less than truthful with me."

"Are you sure about that?" he pressed. "Even people who've known each other for a long time can still be fooled by each other."

"I'm quite sure. Kage would never lie to me about something this important. Her actions speak as loud as her words. If she meant anyone here harm, she wouldn't have surrendered her weapons. You have to believe that I know her better than anyone."

"She's never shown herself to be particularly trustworthy before. Why should we all of a sudden start now?"

"She deserves a second chance."

Turning his back he shook his head angrily. "Hammond should have sent her packing."

"Why are you being so hostile about this?"

"Oh come on, Kashoku! You and I both know how Kage feels about us. She could be lying to you about this change of heart in order to take you away back to Spira. I wouldn't put it past her. She'd lie about anything to accomplish her goals."

"How _dare_ you?" She shouted. "You don't know her at all. You don't know what she's like. Yes, she's violent but she can be a good person, too. You don't have the first idea of what it was like back then, when Sin took her parents and mine."

"Don't try to tell me I don't know what it's like to lose parents. Mine were killed when I was little, crushed while they were supervising the placement of a piece of art in the Egyptian section of a museum. I was placed into foster care after that because my grandfather was too busy to take care of me."

"That was an accident." Kashoku shook her head. "You can't imagine the horror that was Sin. It was a massive monster that would swoop down on villages and wreak unbelievable havoc. The horror its mere mention invoked in people still hasn't entirely faded. To lose your parents to something like that… It's indescribable. I'm sorry for your loss, but try to imagine what this did to Kage. What it did to me."

"You turned out just fine. What's her excuse?"

"You're so determined to think the worst of her. Why should I bother trying to explain? You won't listen to anything I have to say that defends her."

"Why do you keep trying to? No one here is going to believe she's changed."

"So you side with Colonel O'Neill, then? You won't trust me to know my own best friend?"

"Of course I trust you," He said soothingly. "It's _her_ I don't trust."

"Then you may as well be saying you don't trust me."

"Those are two different things."

"No," she said with full force. "Not to me. If I can't convince you that she's really changed, how am I going to be able to convince anyone else around here that she has?"

"For your sake, I want to believe she has, but I just… I can't. She's done nothing to show us she _can_."

"You're basing all of this on how she behaved the last time. You _know_ why she acted out the way she did."

"That still doesn't excuse her behavior, and it sure doesn't make me want to trust her any more."

Kashoku threw her arms up in disgust. "I don't believe this. I thought you of all people would be happy that I have my friend back and that she wants to change, but I suppose that was too much to ask for. Leave. Just… Go away."

"Kashoku-"

"GO!" She shouted, feeling angrier than she had in a long time. Daniel turned and left the room, leaving Kashoku alone.

She sat down on her bed, tears leaking from her eyes. How could he?She had been so happy to finally have Kage back in her life only for it to come to this. Daniel, Earth, everything - it wasn't how she imagined it to be.

The memory of her conversation with Ramirez came to the front of her mind. All the doubts she'd expressed about their relationship screamed at her. All of her unhappiness came crashing down on her head. Curling up in a ball on her bed, Kashoku wept into her pillow.

Without a knock or any sort of announcement, Captain Bentley barged right into the quiet office of SG-15. Wells and Carr looked like they had been there most of the morning, but Rodd was just now pulling out his supplies at his desk. Slow start, apparently. "Well, this looks boring."

Carr sighed. "Because it is. No missions until after the weekend, and I've already finished my report on the last one. Why the hell are we here?"

"Whatever, it's like free money," Bentley said as he sat at Kashoku's desk. "Where's the hot piece of ass?" The venomous look from Wells's green eyes drew a laugh from his lips. "You had your chance to call dibs last night and you ran like a fucking pussy."

"Whoa." Carr sat up straight. "What happened last night?"

"Nothing," Wells said sternly.

"Nothing sounds about right," Bentley agreed as he sunk deeper into the chair to get more comfortable. "You had her all hot and bothered and as soon as she was ready to spread those sexy legs for you your ass ran."

Wells could feel his cheeks burning in rage. His voice was low and threatening as he spoke, "Keep talking about her like that and I'll have _you_ all hot and bothered."

Rodd sighed heavily. "Sir, I'm not sure you should be talking about fellow employees in such a manner."

Bentley spun his chair and glared. "Lieutenant, go get me coffee."

"Oh, man, fuck you!" Wells hissed. "Rodd, don't get him shit. What the hell is your problem? What happened between me and Kashoku is none of your god damn business."

"Sooo…" He crossed his arms and looked thoughtful. "You're _not_ going to fuck her then? So she's available?"

Wells made to dash at the other man but Carr quickly stepped in and put his hand out. "Whoa, whoa, okay, chill. Bentley, asshole, get the fuck out. Go bother Rafe or Ramirez."

Bentley smirked as he pushed himself up to stand. "Sounds good to me."

Carr shut the door behind the marine and suddenly his officer mode clicked as he turned to Rodd. "Lieutenant, listen to me carefully." Rodd swallowed hard and nodded. "Whatever is said in this room doesn't leave this room, got it?"

"Sir, should I just leave?" He asked hesitantly.

"No, you need to work, but this is all confidential. Think of this as a counseling session." With crossed arms he turned to Wells who was now sitting down. Although they were the same rank, Carr was his superior in years of experience. "I know what happened last night. Michelle told me. Come on, Brandon, what were you thinking? It was stupidly adorable at first but seriously considering getting involved with her?"

"I was drunk-"

"Bullshit," Carr spat. "Michelle knows better than anyone your levels of intoxication and you were not that far gone. But that's not my point. I want you to be absolutely honest with me, Brandon. Do you feel there is something there?"

Wells ran his hands over his face and through his hair that could have used a trim. "Well, there's definitely not nothin'."

"Well make it nothing. That's the kind of stuff that gets people in trouble on missions."

"Sir," Rodd piped in, "Although Kashoku denies it, there is word around here that she and Dr. Jackson are in a relationship. I may not have the most experience when it comes to relationships, but I know the ins and outs. May I remind you, sir, as per UCMJ Article 134-"

"Oh my _god,_ Rodd, they aren't married! It's not adultery unless they are married," Carr explained. "You have to have _sex_ for it to be adultery! And don't ever spout regulations to me again, seriously." He shook his head in frustration.

"Sir, I know what the article says. I'm just trying to put things in perspective that it's unbecoming of an officer-"

"Okay, Rodd," Wells interjected with a relaxed voice before Carr could start shouting at the kid again, "I understand. She's not a soldier, but she's still a civilian under government contract."

Satisfied with his answer, Rodd nodded.

"Where is she, anyway?" Carr inquired.

Wells shrugged. "I don't know. She stopped by earlier but Jackson came by looking for her before so she took off again. Probably with him."

"Okay, well, I'm serious, Brandon. Whatever it is between you two, that was it, okay? I personally don't think anyone around here should be dating within the SGC. It's bad ju-ju."

Wells nodded absently. He just hoped that whatever was between them in the ways of friendship still remained after last night.

After leaving Kashoku's room, Daniel went back to his office and slammed the door behind him before flopping down in his chair. His head was reeling from his fight with Kashoku. He wasn't entirely sure how their talk had become a fight, and yet somehow it had just come out that way. This was the first time the two of them had had an argument.

He always thought that if they fought it wouldn't be like that. Never did he imagine he'd get kicked out of her room. He took his glasses off and rested his head on his desk. _Great. Well done, Jackson. _If she wasn't regretting leaving Spira before, she probably was now.

He sat up and leaned as far back in his chair as it would let him. There had to be something he could do to make it up to her, but what? What could he possibly do that would even come close to making amends? For several hours, he sat there, contemplating his options until it was time to leave and go home. He didn't sleep very well that night.

Kage drummed her fingers impatiently against the tabletop of the small room. The guards had brought her there not long after she had woken up. Only the table and two chairs stood in the room. Ice blue eyes glanced up at the camera in the corner of the ceiling. With a sarcastic grin she gave it a wave. How long were they going to make her wait?

As if on cue the door opened and General Hammond entered with a manila folder tucked underneath his arm. He tossed it onto the desk as he took a seat and folded his hands together with a stern look in his eyes. "I'm sure you know I've spoken to Ms. Yoshiko already."

Kage shrugged. "I figured you did right after I came.

"It doesn't matter what Kashoku has done for us since her arrival, I will not let her speak for your character. It is _you_ that will have to convince me of that, Ms. Yamino. I ordered her to stay away from you until I could speak with you to make sure I was only hearing your words and not hers when we spoke."

Kage couldn't help but smirk. Impressive. He had already figured out how manipulative Kashoku could be with her words. "Fair enough."

"If I don't like what I hear, you are going right back through that gate to Spira without any delays."

Kage's expression didn't change. Both she and the general had their best poker faces on. "Deal."

Leaning forward against the table he began, "You said you came back just so you could be with Kashoku. Why wait until now? You seemed adamant about leaving the first time."

"I was angry. _Really_ angry."

"Why?"

Kage had to force her jaw to relax. "Wouldn't you be mad if your best friend that you've known almost your entire life suddenly left you for some girl he had just met?"

Hammond gave a slight tilt of his head. "I suppose I would."

"I've known Kashoku for longer than some of the people on this base have been alive. When I say she's all I have I mean it. Sin took away my family and only left me with her. I left because I was angry. I tried to act like it was no big deal when I got back to Spira, but it was. If Gippal and Yuna start saying I'm acting funny, then things are serious."

"Fine. I understand why you want to return, but what makes you think that you can just waltz right back in here after everything you've said and done?"

Kage let out a small laugh. "Yeah, I wasn't exactly an angel the last time I was here, was I? I stand by the fact I don't like SG-1, but I can't say I hate all of you. The team that came with Kashoku to Spira was pretty cool. Colonel O'Neill wasn't exactly an _angel_ either, now was he?

Hammond gave an agreeing nod. "It was hardly one sided, but that doesn't excuse you for assaulting several of my men."

"Look. How things operate on Spira and Earth is different. You punch someone on Spira and people just let things play out. No one gets in each other's business and there aren't all these rules and regulations that you people seem to live by. I don't care if you strap me to a few of your guards and have a gun pointed to my temple at all times to keep me in line," she placed her fingers to her head for emphasis, "I just want to be able to see her whenever she's not on missions."

Hammond's lack of reaction caused her to groan inwardly. "I'll help your scientists with whatever I can. I won't cause trouble. You'll never even know I'm here."

"That I highly doubt, Ms. Yamino. You are trying to tell me that you are willing to leave all that you had back on Spira just to be able to speak with Kashoku on occasion?"

"That's essentially what she did, isn't it?"

"Except you wouldn't have any freedoms, and I mean it. You would not be able to travel off world or leave this base. You'd basically be a prisoner. Is that what you really want, Ms. Yamino?"

The Spiran bit at her lower lip before looking him dead in the eye and responding. "It would be worth it just to be with her."

Hammond said nothing for what seemed like an eternity. He didn't show it, but Kage knew he was having an internal battle with himself. Without missing a beat he spoke, "You will have not one but two guards with you at all times. You will never go anywhere without being escorted. You _will_ not go near SG-1. You will assist our scientists with whatever they ask of you, and the first time I hear any complaints about you – if you so much as look at someone wrong – I will throw you off this planet and keep you out for good."

Kage was beaming inside. Kashoku wasn't the only one who could mold and manipulate with her tongue.


	12. Chapter 12

The sound of Carr's stomach growling echoed in the silent office. It seemed to bounce off the barren gray walls of the room. "Dude," he groaned painfully, "that's it. I'm going to the mess. Ya'll coming?"

"I'm starving," Rodd agreed as he let the tools he was working with practically fall from his fingers. Reaching around towards the back of his chair he grabbed his jacket and shoved his arms into it.

"You two wanna join?" Carr questioned as he stood and piled his papers on top of one another in a completely unorganized mess.

"Of course," Kashoku smiled softly before adding, "but you two go on ahead. I need Brandon to look at some of this for me before we leave."

Wells felt both his body and soul freeze. A blanket of fire wrapped itself around him when he met her eyes. _Shit_. With a deep swallow and a slight cough he agreed, "Yeah, sure."

"We can wait for you," Rodd suggested casually.

"_R__odd_," Carr said in a low and hinting voice, "let's just let them do what they need to do. We can go ahead and grab a table for them."

The realization smacked right into the lieutenant's face in such a way the other three could see it as clear as day. "Oh…okay." He finished buttoning his jacket nervously and followed after Carr who was cussing insatiably under his breath.

Kashouku raked her tongue across her teeth in irritation. "They know."

"Yeaaaaaah," Wells drawled out with some embarrassment. "Michelle loves gossip. I don't think she means to, but she just can't help herself."

Kashoku reached up underneath her hair and scratched at the top of her neck with an annoyed smile. "Remind me not to say anything important around her then. Look," she exhaled, "I'm not angry. I'm not mad at all. I just want to know why."

Wells leaned back in his chair and blew out a large puff of air through his nose, trying to find the right words to say. There were plenty of them banging around in his brain, but none of them were making sentences.

"Please don't say the alcohol made you do it," she warned with cold eyes. "I've been told by plenty of people that although you were intoxicated you still had your senses."

Fucking Ramirez. He should have never let that bitch take Kashoku home. His right leg began bouncing up and down in nervousness as he tried to figure out how he was going to get himself out of this hole. "I…." _God dammit_. Rubbing his sweaty palms against his face he responded, "Because I wanted to, okay? There's no other reason than that. I just…I wanted to. But I shouldn't have put you in that position-"

Kashoku bit at her lower lip before shaking her head and cutting him off. "No one put me in any position, Brandon. I remember everything we did that night and I'm not sorry for any of it." She looked up and met his eyes with such honest intensity.

Wells swallowed hard, not taking his eyes off of hers but not knowing what to say. The way she was looking at him flushed his cheeks – among other things – with red heat. "Maybe we should do this another time." Pushing himself out of the chair he made for the closed door in haste.

Kashoku expected it and quickly reached out to catch his bicep, tugging him back around. Their eyes met again. "Don't. Please don't run from me." Gingerly she placed her palm against the black fabric stretched tightly across his chest. His heartbeat pulsated through his own skin to her fingertips. The air between them felt so heavy Kashoku thought she might collapse from it. When the captain licked his lips she broke.

The Spiran couldn't reach him at his full height, but it took him no time to grab her at her waist and slam her up against the door frame as they locked lips. Kashoku wrapped her legs around his waist and laced her fingers in his dark brown hair, opening her mouth to let his tongue in. Sucking air in through his nose he nipped at her lower lip as his hands reached down the back of her pants and squeezed.

When Kashoku's hands pulled his shirt from his pants and raked up his chest something snapped. Pulling away from her he let her drop gently back to the ground and placed his palms above her head against the wall. Deep pants filled the room as they both stared at the ground.

_F__uc__k_. "We can't. It's…against regulation," Wells breathed between pants. "It's..shit. We're on the same fucking team."

Kashoku slowly closed her eyes and gave a nod. "I know. It's…not wise."

Wells mimicked her nod, "Yeah. I…I'll catch up."

Kashoku gave another nod as Wells turned away. After fixing her clothes and hair she turned the handle of the door and left the office.

Before the thought that she might run into someone staring at the floor hit her, Kashoku slammed right into a body. "Oh my god I'm – Kage?"

Kage grabbed her friend's shoulders and steadied her. "Are you okay?! I've been calling your name ever since I saw you at the end of the hall!"

Had she? Kashoku blinked with uncertainty trying to remember if she could recall hearing her name before noticing the two airmen escorting her friend. With a frown she asked, "What did General Hammond say?"

Kage crossed her arms and gave a slight shrug. "I'm staying, but it's not without ridiculous restrictions. I have babysitters," she thrust her thumbs backwards over her shoulder towards the two. "Can't go anywhere without them. First fuck up and I'm back on Spira before you can say 'Chocobo'." With a heavy sigh she added, "And I have to help their scientists with whatever they want. That one is going to be fun." Noticing almost no reaction from her friend she cocked a hip and stared with narrow eyes. "What the hell is wrong with you? Get in a lover's quarrel with Jackson or some shit?"

Kashoku's face fell. _Oh god, Daniel. _If she wasn't in a fight with him before, she sure would be now. "Can we just… I was on my way to go grab something to eat. You hungry?"

Kage's glare didn't falter. "I'm going to pry it out of you eventually you know, but fine. Starving." Kashoku lead the small group back the way Kage and the two airmen had come towards the elevator.

She gave a glance to the closest airman with the name 'Coleman' plastered on his chest. "Um, Airman Coleman, as long as my team are there to watch Kage, could she spare an hour away from you two? Surely you want to eat with your own friends?"

The man took in a deep breath through his nostrils, eying Kage and clearly weighing the risk. Finally, he nodded. "She does not leave without us."

Kashoku nodded as she pressed the down button. "Of course." Rodd and Carr wouldn't be much help if Kage lost control, but she hoped Ellis might be there and then Wells would…

The door to the elevator opened but Kashoku did not move, instead staring blankly at the ground. Kage gave her an annoyed shove into the lift and glared as she took position across from her against the wall. "_S__ore wa nan desu ka?"_

Kashoku sighed. No sense in lying to her. The woman would beat it out of her if she felt the need. Following Kage's lead, she answered in their language so the airmen could not understand, "I kissed one of my teammates the other night when we went out. And possibly again just a few moments ago."

Kage gave a surprised and thoroughly amused snort. "_Maji de? _Like…you willingly partook in this?"

The brunette nodded before adding, "We just… Oh god, Kage, I was about to take his clothes off in the office just now."

Kage slapped a hand over her mouth to muffle the laughter that immediately spewed out. "Kashy. Are you trying to tell me that you – innocent little Kashy – cheated on Daniel? _Sasuga dane_!" She laughed.

Kashoku frowned in dismay as the elevator doors opened and they walked out. "I didn't cheat on him! Daniel and I decided to think on it before we committed. Why are you so excited about this?"

"_Uso?!" _Kage laughed in pure amusement as she followed closely behind her friend, grinning into her ear over her shoulder. "It's fucking hilarious, Kashy! You gave up fucking _everything _you had back on Spira, me included, for Jackson and then after only a few months you are already fucking another guy." Kashoku whirled around and shoved Kage back away from her. "I did _not _sleep with him."

Kage rolled her eyes but kept her distance, still grinning. "Uh huh, okay. Just the paradise you always wanted, isn't it? I'm not really sure if I should be extremely pissed off over the fact you left me to 'not' cheat on Daniel, or laugh even more at the pure hilarity of it all."

Then, as if lightning had struck her, she gasped in surprise and came to a halt. "Have you told Daniel? Have you? Oh wait, what am I saying, of course you haven't! Oh can I tell him, please, please, please?!"

"NO!" Kashoku shrieked in desperation. Several people stopped in the hall to stare at her sudden outburst in what had turned out to be in English. Kashoku took a deep breath to calm herself and reiterated at a lower volume, "There is nothing to tell, Kage! What part of 'we are not in a relationship' do you not understand?"

Kage frowned. "I don't understand what you mean by that. Didn't you come here to, oh I don't know, be in a relationship with him?"

"It's complicated," Kashoku argued.

Kage rolled her eyes, "Clearly."

Kashoku ran a hand over her face and looked sympathetically at the expressionless airmen who were escorting them. "I am so sorry you have to deal with her all day."

The one with the name 'Rogers' responded with a shrug. "Could be worse, ma'am, believe me. She pretends we don't exist, and that's okay with us."

Kashoku was uncertain of that. "Wait to say that until after we've gone on a mission and she only has you two to talk to." With a heavy sigh she spun on her heel and headed after Kage. It hadn't take long for the blonde to realize she had no idea where she was going, so Kashoku silently took the lead towards the end of the line.

"This looks just as edible as the stuff they were giving me earlier," Kage frowned as food was put onto her tray.

"Probably because it came from here," Kashoku said, pointing towards one of the foods and receiving a serving on her own tray. "It's not bad, but the food off base is much better."

There was a snort. "Well, not like I can exactly take a nice stroll off base, now can I?"

It was Kashoku's turn to give a smug response. "Be nice and maybe I'll bring you something." Grabbing firmly at the edges of the tray she picked it up and headed towards the table where Carr, Rodd, and Ellis were sitting.

"Well, look who reared her ugly face," Ellis said without fear as Kage took a seat from across the way. "Sorry I kept you waiting," Kage responded with honest apologies. "Hmm, wasn't there another one of you?" She turned her head towards Kashoku with a sly grin.

"Yeah, where is Wells?" Ellis asked curiously, oblivious to any of the events that had happened.

Kashoku's cheeks flared red, but she refused to acknowledge Kage. With a shrug she responded, "I don't know, he said he had something he had to do real quick before joining us."

"Uh-huh, like jerking himself off to the image of your face," Kage whispered in Japanese with a mischievous smirk.

To Kashoku's relief, the team seemed to shrug off Wells's absence and Ellis changed the subject. "So, I take it by the fact you are still here that you are staying."

"For now, anyway," Kage responded as she jabbed at the meat on her tray with a fork.

"You're a crazy bitch, you know that?"

Kage's blue eyes grew wide with delight. "Why, thank you! That's the nicest thing anyone has said to me since I've gotten here."

"She means that, you know," Kashoku sighed.

"Whatever. As long as you don't endanger my team again I couldn't give two shits what you do," Ellis shrugged as he reached for his drink.

"I like your team, Kashy. They don't butt into people's business," Kage mused, the insult to SG-1 obvious behind her words.

"So what the hell are you going to do while you're here? I mean, Kashy doesn't have anything to do when not on missions either, but when we're gone… It's not like you can go anywhere," Carr pointed out.

Kage shrugged, not sure of the answer to his question. "I was told I have to assist the scientists, but other than that, your guess is as good as mine."

"You can always go beat the shit out of the punching bag at the gym. Maybe we can print out pictures of SG-1 to put on it," Ellis mentioned casually before shoving a spoonful of mashed potatoes into his mouth.

Kage fell back in her chair and placed a hand over the left side of her chest. "Oh, Kashy," she moaned longingly, "they know the way to my heart."

"Or," Kashoku said with displeasure, "you can study how to read and write the language. It's not like Old Spiran, even if it sounds that way."

"Please, I'm sure it won't take me long to learn. I always was a lot better at picking up that kind of stuff than you," Kage dismissed.

Kashoku sighed, but had to acknowledge Kage's point. The other woman had learned Al Bhed in no time compared to how long it had taken Kashoku.

"Well, if you are going to work with the scientists, you'll need to learn it soon to understand their reports and findings. At least, I think, the numbers are the same. Didn't you mention that, Kashoku?" Rodd inquired curiously.

Kashoku nodded. "Extremely similar." She was about to continue on about the subject when her eye caught Daniel walking in, staring down at a stack of papers in his hand and completely oblivious to the business around him. Her heart beat wildly in her chest. If she didn't confess what had happened now, she never would and he would come to hear it from Kage. "Robbie, can you take Kage back to our office?

She can sit at my desk. I have to go talk to Daniel." Without giving them any time to question her or make any vulgar comments about SG-1 she stood and headed towards the archaeologist.

Daniel didn't even notice her until she was standing so close to him he couldn't take a step forward without knocking her down. His face looked as distraught as hers did when he finally took note of her. "Hey… Look, Kashoku, I've been thinking-"

"Can we talk?" Kashoku asked nervously, arms wrapped around herself.

Daniel frowned. "I think that's kind of where I was going with this."

Kashoku gave a soft smile, the tension easing in her body. "Yes, but, I meant not here."

Oh. Right. "Okay, well, let me just go grab a sandwich and we can go back to the office. I was going to bring it back anyway."

"Do you ever just sit down and enjoy yourself?" Kashoku asked curiously, for a moment forgetting where this conversation was going to end up.

"Yes, when I'm sitting down eating and translating some ancient artifact." He grinned as he reached for the bread and began assembling his PB&J.

"Ha, ha, you know what I mean." Biting at her lip she asked, "You're sure you have time right now?" With all her will she hoped that he would suddenly remember something that needed urgent attention.

"I've always got it for you," he responded with a deep look into her eyes.

Guilt rose up to Kashoku's throat. No words found themselves and she simply offered an unsure smile. There was no way she could back out now. She had to let him know there were doubts and she was thinking about abandoning them all together. Even with Wells having turned her down, Ramirez's conversation was fresh in her mind.

"I noticed Kage was sitting with you," he said carefully as he spread the peanut butter onto one side of the bread. "She looked like she was making friends."

"Yes, well, you know," she shrugged absently. "She hates SG-1 and they hate SG-1."

"Ah, yes, common interests." He slapped the pieces of bread together, sliced them across the diagonal, and wrapped his sandwich up in several napkins. Securing the papers he had brought in the other hand he signaled for them to start walking out of the mess hall.

Kashoku was silent as she walked with Daniel towards his office. He chattered happily about some ancient artifact SG-1 had brought back that he was finally getting a chance to study, hoping it held the clue to the demise of one of Earth's ancient cultures. At some point he had told her its name but she was so preoccupied with what she wanted to talk to him about that she couldn't have remembered it if she tried.

The distractions in her head were so large that she just barely missed walking into the door frame. Fortunately for her, Daniel had already gone inside and didn't see her near blunder. Kashoku shook her head, scolding herself to get a grip as she went in. After a moment of hesitation she closed the door behind her. If this went badly she would much prefer that the whole base not be able to peek in or be able to hear them. The sinking feeling in her gut told her things weren't going to go well at all. _What do you expect? _She chided herself as she sat down in a chair with her hands folded in her lap._There's no possible way this could go well._

She looked up to see Daniel standing over her, a look of deep concern on his face. "Kashoku? Is something wrong?"

"Why do you ask?" She asked, trying her hardest to sound casual. It sounded false even to her ears. From the slight change to Daniel's face, he wasn't buying it either.

"I've asked you the same question three times now and all you've done is sit there looking like you're about to throw up." He knelt down beside her chair and took her hands into his. "Something is clearly bothering you. What is it? You know you can tell me anything."

"Anything?" she asked, trying to swallow the lump in her throat.

Daniel nodded hesitantly. "Absolutely. You did say you wanted to talk. What was it you wanted to discuss? Remember we agreed to be honest after the last time. Did something happen?"

"You…could say that."

"Now you've got me worried."

Kashoku licked her lips, uncertain how she should proceed with the conversation. "I…I'm maybe thinking we shouldn't -," This was a lot harder than she thought it would be. "Look. The other night when I was out with my team, I might have kissed someone, and it had me thinking that I might want to explore things before we really commit to each other."

Daniel sucked in a breath, shoving his hands in his pockets while adverting his gaze to the floor. "I knew this would probably happen. I mean, why would you stick around for me when you could be with someone better?"

"No, Daniel! That's not it!" Kashoku breathed in frustration. "You are always _gone_, Daniel. I know I left Spira to come be with you, Daniel, but the fact of the matter is we are never together. This is not how any of this was supposed to go."

Daniel turned to face her with sympathetic eyes. "I told you this wouldn't be easy."

Kashoku squeezed her eyes shut to keep the frustrated tears back. "But it wasn't supposed to be this hard."

The archaeologist swallowed hard and nodded, walking forward so he could bring her into a hug. "I'm sorry I haven't been here, Kashoku, I really am, but I don't want you to give up on this just yet. I still think we can make this work.  
Kashoku shook her head, running her hand through her long brown locks. "I don't see how."

"Give me the chance to prove it. If you can commit fully to me, I promise to do everything to commit to you. To make more of an effort to be here. I can give you time to think on it. I don't need an answer now. But I want it by the end of the week. Can you at least do that for me?"

Kashoku nodded, agreeing that she could at least offer that to the man. "Yeah."

Daniel blew out a sigh from his nose. "I've got to get back to work."

Kashoku nodded and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah, okay. I'll see you later." She opened the door to the hallway and left, headed towards her room. Right now, she just didn't want to talk with anyone.

Kage swung her leg over the chair that sat empty at Kashoku's desk and leaned forward against the back of it. She raised an eyebrow at the man sitting across the way. Curious. He must have been the one Kashoku had tongue fucked earlier. The guilt was written all over his face. "Hungry for something other than food, I take it?" She leered.

"Yeah, man," Carr gave a slap to his friend's shoulder as he passed by towards his desk, "Where were you?"

Wells shifted his eyes to glare at the Spiran, ignoring Carr. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for Kashy, duh. I'm here to stay, if you haven't heard," she responded as she began twirling in the chair.

Wells didn't seem the least bit interested in why or how. "Where's Kashoku, then?" With pursed lips she replied, "Fraternizing with the enemy."

"She saw Dr. Jackson and went to speak with him," Rodd explained, attempting to be helpful. All it did was cause Wells's face to fall in disappointment. "Oh."

"You know," Kage began as she swung her leg back over so she was sitting sideways in the chair, "I could offer up my services for causing pain and suffering in Jackson's life. Only catch is that I couldn't execute any of it personally. You know, 'one fuck up and I'm out' and all."

With an upward curve of his lip he turned his face to her and said, "Well, then, please brainstorm away." "Hmm," she hummed in amusement. "So, other than plotting ways to murder one another, what else do you do around – Is that some sort of strategic simulation?" She squinted towards Carr's screen. Pushing herself up out of the chair she walked over to the blonde and peered over his shoulder at his computer.

Carr coughed to cover up a laugh that wanted to spill out. "Yeah, yeah… You could call it that." He clicked viciously across the screen until suddenly a smiley face went dead on his screen. "Aw, damn."

Kage frowned, looking unimpressed. "It's a game."

"But it's a _st__rategic _game. It requires _strategy_," Carr assured her.

"Seriously? Do you guys do anything around here?" Kage huffed. "I thought you went out shooting aliens and blowing shit up all the time?"

Carr shrugged. "We have to have breaks in between missions. That's just how it is. Unless you're a scientists there just ain't shit to do when you're waiting. If you want something to do, go talk to him," he jabbed a finger out towards Rodd.

Rodd gave a polite shrug. "I could show you some things, if you are interested."

Kage puckered her lips in thought before heading over to Rodd's work space. "Fine, whatever. Might as well."

She didn't get very far before the door swung open with violent force before rebounding back with a slam and a pained cry from the other side. Wells and Carr exploded with laughter as Bentley grabbed the door and opened it slowly this time.

"Fuck," Bentley groaned in pain as he shut the door behind him. "That didn't go as I had planned."

Carr was laughing so hard that sound was completely absent for a moment before it rushed out. "You-," he took in a deep breath trying to calm himself, "You are such a dumbass."

"Fuck you, man, my day just went from good to shit in about five seconds," he groaned. "So much for having the weekend off. Ramirez is screaming up and down the halls in Mexican. That bitch is crazy when she's angry, man."

"Did you get assigned a mission?" Wells asked, leaning back and folding his arms.

"Worse. The Boss-Men were talking to one another and we've been put on-call. All of us," he complained.

"F-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-ck!" Carr cried as he gripped the edge of the desk and shook it in anger. "God- Fucking-Dammit!" He slammed the desk in between each word.

"Wait, what the hell does that mean?" Kage asked curiously.

Bentley raised a curious eyebrow before wiggling them in delight. "Well, lookie here. Is this The Bitch? No one mentioned how sexy she was. Damn girl, I'd like to get in a fist fight with you."

Kage's eyes shot daggers into him. "I can happily oblige."

Bentley smirked as he mouthed the word 'hot' to Carr and Wells. "Anyways," he shoved his hands into his pockets, "it means that we can't do shit or make plans for the weekend because at any point in time SG-1 will come crying for their mommy and we'll have to go save them."

"Shit, we were supposed to have that get together over at Major Ellis's," Wells sighed. "If I have to miss eating one of Amy's cakes I'm going to be pissed as hell."

"So what, all of you are SG-1's little bitches?" Kage cocked out her hip and leaned against the back of Carr's chair.

"Basically," Bentley confirmed in dismay. "Fuck this shit."

Kage had taken everyone's advice and headed to the gym. She was fascinated by the machines and equipment they had dedicated solely towards improving fitness. They didn't have things like this back on Spira. People got stronger by hunting. It took a while and help from her airmen – who she found to be pretty bearable and who decided to join her in her workout session – before she found the right weights for herself.

"Hey," she began after putting back the weights she had been using, "where's this punching bag I keep hearing about?"

"Oh," Coleman nodded towards the bag hanging in the far right corner, "there. Yeah, that's probably something you'd enjoy. There are some gloves on the rack next to it you can use so you don't scrape yourself up."

"So, you just…punch it?" Kage raised an eyebrow.

"That's the idea," Airmen Bruce said as he continued his curls.

Kage walked over towards the bag and grabbed a pair of gloves. Once they were on she took a step back and stared hard at the bag, forming an image of Daniel onto it in her mind. The first punch sent the bag flying backwards with great force and as soon as it swung back the hits kept coming and coming. Over and over she pounded into 'Daniel' in attempts to break every bone in his body and make him bleed to death. "Fucking" – punch – "bastard." – punch – "You ruined" – punch – "EVERYTHING!" SLAM.

"Damn, girl!"

Kage whirled around, sweating and out of breath. It had not been either of her airmen who had spoken. Instead it was someone she did not recognize, a caramel-skinned man covered in tattoos. He was chiseled to the core and had a closely shaven head. Kage might have even found him attractive if she wasn't so pissed off.

"What did that bag ever do to you?" He asked in amusement, coming closer and draping his towel over his right shoulder.

"Sir," Coleman and Bruce nodded.

Kage glared at the man. "I thought the whole purpose of this damn thing was to hit it?"

The man laughed. "Yeah, hit it, not beat the shit out of it. Who the hell were you picturing on that thing?"

"Jackson," she hissed, punching the bag again.

He laughed again. "You've _go__t _to be Kage, am I right?"

"Oh, gee, I'm famous. How nice," she snorted as she slipped the gloves off and threw them down. "Name's Rafe," he said, extending a hand. Kage took it, albeit cautiously. "I'm a member of SG-11." "That the same team Barry or Benley is on?"

"Bentley? Oh, so you've had this displeasure of meeting his sorry ass already, huh?"

Kage shrugged, "He was entertaining."

Rafe laid his towel out on one of the seats and sat down on it. "Yeah, you come back and let me know if you still feel the same way in a week or two. But, yeah, same team. You work out a lot? You're pretty strong."

"Not like there's anything else to fucking do."

"True, true. You and I should spar sometime." He reached up and grabbed the bar and pulled down. "Spar? You aren't going to report me to General Hammond as soon as I beat your ass, are you?" She crossed her arms and looked at him curiously.

Rafe laughed. "Nah, girl. Ramirez has kicked my ass plenty of times. I've gotten pretty used to having Marine girls kick my butt. Hell hath no fury as a woman's scorn."

"Interesting phrase. I'd… Yeah, I'd like that." What the hell? Was it just SG-1 that was annoying as fuck around here? How come every other person seemed to appreciate her need for violence?

"Cool. You hang out with SG-15 since Kashoku is with them? I have yet to have the pleasure of meeting her, but I hear a lot."

Kage nodded. "Yeah, why?"

"That way I'll know where to find you next time I come out here. Our teams are battle buddies. We look out for each other."

Kage grabbed her own towel and wiped the sweat off of her face. "I'll see you around then." "Yup," he nodded, turning his attention back to the bar. Maybe… Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all.

Wells came promptly at 1600 to pick Kashoku up from the base. They managed small talk as they walked out to the car, but it was blatantly stilted and Wells hadn't said a single word since they had gotten on the road. Kashoku couldn't take it anymore. With a deep breath she asked the question that had been looming in the air every since the night at the bar. "Brandon, are we okay?"

Wells shifted his hand on the steering wheel and licked his lips before responding, voice purposefully light. "Yeah, of course."

"Hmm," Kashoku frowned, not buying it. "You told me that us being in a relationship would be against regulations. Why? I don't think I fully understand."

Wells swallowed hard. "It's unprofessional. We are on the same team. We have rules in the military against this kind of thing for a reason. It clouds your judgment during battle situations."

"Rules can't stop love. It's foolish that your military would even begin to think they could do such a thing," Kashoku said coldly. "Whether or not they forbid a relationship between us, it would not keep the feelings at bay and thus we would still act on them."

Wells opened his mouth to say something but there was nothing forthcoming immedietly. "What do you want me to say, Kashoku?" There was clear frustration in his voice. "I'm not going to sit here and say that there isn't an attraction between us, but we honestly don't know that much about each other and we should just keep it that way as far as romantic interest is involved. Better to snuff this out before it ever gets going."

Kashoku wanted to have a response to that, but there was none. He was right. She has already gotten Daniel in trouble because of it. She valued Wells's friendship far too much to risk having either of them pulled from the team or worse.

Wells silently shifted gears before he gripped the wheel with both hands and asked, "Are you going to give Daniel a go? I mean, for real?"

Kashoku curled her fingers tightly into her violet colored skirt. "It would be the right thing to do, wouldn't it? I haven't even given him a fair chance, and after all," she laughed as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "I did come here for him initially."

"You leave your home to follow some guy you've fallen head-over- heels for and then as soon as you get here you decide that maybe that's not really what you want after all. I think maybe you don't know what you want," Wells offered with a glance over.

"And I would have to say that you are right," Kashoku admitted. "Nothing is turning out quite like it was supposed to, and now I feel it's just…chaos. I dunno…what would you do?"

Wells was quiet for a moment as he thought on it. "I don't think I can necessarily say what I would do, but I know what I would want you to do as someone who cares, and I think Kage would agree. I would want you to not be with someone who is never around to so much as say 'Hey, how are you?' To not be with someone who spends more time caressing ancient artifacts than you. To be with someone who notices that when you are thinking really hard you pucker your lips. That the reason you drink anything with cranberry in it at the bar is because it makes the drinks pink, and that's your favorite color. That you wear your hair up when you are working on something important, and wear it down when you want to relax. That you get really excited when you find out they are serving mashed potatoes at the mess because they are totally your comfort food. That when you get nervous you twirl your hair with your left finger, never your right."

Kashoku's eyes were wide in shock. She was fairly certain not even Daniel knew most of those things about her. "For someone who says we can't be together, you've sure spent a lot of time studying me."

"I didn't need to study you. It's just a matter of paying attention," He argued. "Just be with someone who knows who you are and makes you happy. Does he do that, at least? When he's around anyway?"

Kashoku bit at her lip, "Yes."

"Then that's all that matters."

They were only a few blocks away from the Ellis residence and in no time he pulled neatly in behind another vehicle on the side of the street. Wordlessly they both unbuckled their seat-belts and exited the car. Kashoku was already walking towards the house before Wells called out to her. "Kashoku."

She turned.

Treading through the bright green grass he made his way over to her and took her into his tight embrace with a kiss to the top of her head. "If he ever hurts you I'm going to fuck his shit up."

Kashoku genuinely laughed into his chest. "Looks like you've adopted the big brother role furiously. I might get jealous."

"Why?"

"Because you and Kage will probably end up best friends over that role," she smiled. Kashoku took his hand and let him lead her towards an open gate in a large wooden fence. They were the last ones to arrive. Ellis had his back turned talking to Carr next to the grill and Rodd was playing with who Kashoku assumed to be Ellis's two children. Realizing no one had noticed their presence yet, the ex- singer let go of Wells and snuck up behind her team leader before wrapping her arms around him from behind.

He tensed before he realized who it was and he gave a frown over his right shoulder. "What the hell do you think I am, a cuddle toy?"

Kashoku giggled as she let go of him and pivoted to face him. "Well, as I do recall, Robbie did mention you were a softy outside of work. I was trying to test the theory."

Ellis let out a snort as he shot daggers at Carr. "Why do you gotta go out and spout likes like that? I hate you."

Carr gave him the biggest grin he had in return. "Always and forever, sir."

Wells shook hands with both men in greeting before heading for the cooler placed by the grill and pulling out two bottles. Using an opener attached to his keys he popped the tops and handed one off to Kashoku. "Where's the wives?" His question was directed towards the other two men.

"Cake decorating," Ellis responded before taking a swig of his own drink. "If you want to go in and meet them, Kash, just go through that door there," he used the index finger of the hand holding the beer to point towards a beautiful blue door.

Kashoku smiled and nodded, "Thanks!" before taking off towards the door. She was excited to meet her team leader's better half. When she opened the door a blast of aroma filled her nostrils. "Wow, it smells amazing in here," she breathed as she took a step in and closed the door.

Michelle turned around and smiled from a counter. "Hey, Kashoku! Amy's cooking is A-MAZING!"

A woman with blonde curls turned to also greet Kashoku with a smile. "Oh, Kashoku!" She wiped her hands on a floral apron and extended it, shaking hands with the smaller woman. "Matthew has spoken so highly of you; it's so nice to finally meet you!"

Kashoku couldn't get over how breathtaking the other woman was. She was older than Michelle, but no less beautiful. Everything about her just seemed fresh and cheerful. "Likewise! Robbie has done nothing but praise your baking skills."

She laughed as she opened up the oven. "Well, thankfully I baked an entirely separate cake just for him and Michelle to take home. Otherwise, there'd be nothing left for the rest of us!"

"I've noticed all them seem to eat a lot," Kashoku hummed.

"Yeah, well, Robbie is the worst. He's a freakin' inhaler. Keeping food in the house is almost impossible," Michelle said as she pulled something from one of the cabinets and handed it to Amy.

"Oh, can I help with anything?" Kashoku asked. "I have to warn you, I don't really know much, but…" "Matt told me about how sheltered you were. That's terrible! But don't you worry," she grinned as she tossed down her mitts, "We'll change that in no time. Everything is pretty much ready to go. We just need to get it in serving dishes. I'll have you over another time and I'll teach you how to bake a cake."

"I'd love that," Kashoku grinned. "Do you want me to go ahead and take that out?"

"If you don't mind." She handed Kashoku a bowl of baked beans. "Matt will know where to put it, so just take it out to him. Michelle, can you grab the potato salad?"

"You got it," Michelle nodded and followed out after Kashoku. "So," she began as Kashoku opened the door. "How are things with you and Brandon?"

Kashoku tensed up, tightening her grip on the beans. "It's…fine. It's good, actually. We talked."

Michelle nodded. "Good."

Ellis pointed to a table off to the side for the two women to set things down. Kashoku felt a tug at her skirt and turned around to find one of Ellis's children staring up at her. "Oh, hey there!"

"You're pretty," the blonde girl smiled up at Kashoku.

"Aww," Kashoku beamed as she bent over to be at face-level. "You're pretty, too! You're Jessie, right?" The girl grinned. "Yup! What's your name?"

"I'm Kashoku."

"Kash….ku?" The girl frowned trying to get the name out, but not quite getting it. Kashoku laughed, "It's okay, it's a hard name. You can call me Kashy."

"I can do that," Jessie nodded firmly. "Will you teach me how to make my eyes so pretty? Like yours?"

Kashoku straightened up and put her hands on her hips playfully. "Your eyes are already so pretty!" "Not like yours." She gave a pout of her lips. "And your hair is so shiny, too! I want to look like you!"

"I think you're going to be far prettier when you grow up. You're going to give your dad quite the workout trying to keep all the boys off of you."

Ellis gave a snort. "They'll all be meeting the barrel of my shotgun before they get within 100 feet of her."

Kashoku laughed. "See what I mean?"

"Alright, everything is finished!" Amy called as she descended the small set of stairs with a large decorated cake in hand.

"_S__ugo__i_," Kashoku hummed in amazement at the cake. The flowers on it looked absolutely breathtaking. "That's food?! It looks so real!"

Amy set the cake down on the table next to the rest of the food. "Everything on the cake is 100% eatable. "Grab a plate and dig in! Jessie, Cody, do you guys want me to fix you something else or is one of daddy's burgers okay?"

"I want lots of cheese on mine!" Cody called. "Jeremy, will you eat with me so you can tell me more stories?"

Rodd smiled. "Of course I will."

"Your kids are cute." Kashoku smiled as she grabbed her beer and stood next to Ellis at the grill.

"Love 'em more than anything in the universe," he said firmly as he stacked two slices of cheese on a patty for Cody. "Don't you go corrupting my daughter. I don't need her learning how to flirt with boys until she's 40."

Kashoku gave an innocent bat of her lashes. "Who, me? I won't have to teach her; she'll get them all on her own."

"Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of."

They all piled food onto their plates and grabbed a chair by the small fire pit and exchanged conversation for a good hour. Amy and Michelle never asked anything about their work. They must have gotten so used to not being able to that it was almost sad. They did ask about Kashoku's past, but she offered up the answers she had rehearsed with Daniel and they took it without question.

"Hey, Kashy, we should teach you how to play washers," Carr said as he jumped out of his seat. "I claim Rodd." It was one of the only times the blond would ever pair himself with the young scientist willingly, but the kid was a freakin' _pro _at the game. His family used to play it all the time.

"Come on, Kashy, you can be with me," Wells offered up as he grabbed his beer and headed over to a box laying in the grass.

Michelle gave a wiggle of her eyebrows at Kashoku as she passed and was hardly bothered by the harsh glare she received. Wells handed her three blue colored metal rings and pulled her back behind a stick creating a makeshift line.

"Alright, the goal is simple; get the rings into the holes," Wells instructed.

Kashoku nodded and tossed her first ring. It was short of hitting the board, but not by much. The next toss hit but bounced off. The third one went wide right. "This isn't as easy as it looks."

"You got close. You aren't drunk enough yet; that's the problem. That's the only way to play this game," he emphasized his point by chugging down the rest of his beer. "Unfortunately, we really shouldn't get drunk since we could get called in at any time. Oops," he grinned.

A few hours later and they had played several games and were all red faced and laughing. They had all watched how much they drank, but it hadn't stopped them completely. Kashoku and Wells had lost every game, but they didn't seem to care anymore. Cody and Jessie had even joined in and started tossing the washers.

This moment was probably the happiest Kashoku had been since coming to Earth. There were smiles on everyone's faces and laughter filled the air around the fire. With a ring of Ellis's phone everything suddenly changed. When he flipped his phone shut after a few moments he turned to the group with a serious face.

"We've been called in."

Kashoku's heart stopped. That meant SG-1 was in trouble.


	13. Chapter 13

Once back at the SGC, all five members of SG-15 went straight to the briefing room without any detours. Kashoku had hoped she could go by and let Kage know what was going on, but there was no time. General Hammond was already waiting for them along with four other people – two of whom were Ramirez and Bentley. The other two members were dark skinned like Teal'c, and the older of the two gave Kashoku a look that sent chills down her spine.

"I apologize for interrupting your weekend, but we have a situation on our hands," Hammond sighed heavily. "As you know, SG-1 recently took the Goa'uld mother ship we had in our possession to the Tok'ra home world, Vorash. Their plan was to evacuate the Tok'ra and their Stargate to a new base of operations. One of Apophis's spies got word of it and escaped. SG-1 has been unable to track him down, so we can only assume the mission has been compromised."

"So what's the change of mission?" The scary man spoke in a deep and rough voice.

"Colonel Connors, your team and SG-15 will go and assist SG-1 in evacuating the Tok'ra through the Stargate. With the assistance of Jacob Carter, we will use the mother ship to take the Stargate towards the sun of the system and dial out to P3W-451."

"That's the planet with the black hole," Rodd spoke, his face lit up in surprise. "It'll create a collapse in the Vorash system."

Hammond nodded. "Hopefully taking out Apophis's fleet in the process."

"Talk about going out with a bang," Ramirez muttered.

"Big explosions - me likey." Bentley wiggled his eyebrows in amusement. His face held too much excitement for such a dangerous sounding task.

"Apophis hasn't shown up yet, has he?" Ellis asked thoughtfully, muscled arms crossed tightly against his chest.

Hammond shook his head. "Not since the last time they checked in, but that could have changed. Expect to walk in to a war-zone. Are there any other questions?" He took the silence as a no. "Dismissed."

"So," Ramirez said as she moved close enough to Kashoku that their shoulders brushed as they headed for the locker room. "Our first mission together, _puta_. Can't wait to see what you can do."

"Well, maybe Apophis won't show. I mean, the spy didn't get through the Stargate, right?" Kashoku spoke hopefully as she pushed the door open and entered the darkened locker room. She had been relieved to find out that SG-1 wasn't in any immediate danger, but that could quickly change.

Ramirez gave an amused snort. "Yeah, right. It's a sure thing we'll come under attack. You better have those healing powers of yours ready to go." She made for her locker and opened it, grabbing her gear and tossing it in a completely unorganized manner on to the bench behind her.

Kashoku's locker was only a few down on the opposite side. As she began to pull out her own gear, her thoughts returned to the briefing room. "Ramirez, your team leader… The way he looked at me when I came in the room…"

Ramirez pulled her shirt over her head and gave a smirk over her shoulder. "Scared the shit out of you, yeah? He was sizing you up. He probably thinks of you as an unimpressive and insignificant little _mierda_ right now. He doesn't have a soft dick like Major Ellis, but I wouldn't want to serve under anyone else, I tell you that." She unbuckled the top of her jeans and pulled them down leaving her only in her black bra and underwear. "When you're with us you take his orders over Major Ellis. You do what he tells you, no questions. Colonel Connors has seen more than any of us could ever imagine, except maybe Major Ellis. You put the two of them together and it's some scary shit."

Kashoku gave a hesitant nod as she changed out of her top and skirt. She didn't feel real great about trusting someone so completely that she hadn't even spoken to, but it hadn't taken her long to figure out the ranking system at the SGC. She knew that Colonel Connors out-ranked her team leader, so she didn't have much choice but to follow his orders.

Once fully dressed the two women headed for the armory and suited up with side arms and their P-90s before meeting the boys in the embarkation room. Kashoku couldn't help but shrink underneath Connors's insistent stare, so she placed herself right in-between Ellis and Wells. For some reason or another, the action drew an amused smirk and a flash of teeth from the colonel's mouth that made Kashoku's stomach churn.

Wells gave a sympathetic, yet highly entertained, look toward Kashoku before whispering, "He's not going to eat you, you know." Kashoku's only response was to move to where her shoulder was flush with his arm as Connors continued to smile at her

"We'll meet up with SG-1 and the Tok'Ra leaders, assess the situation, and go from there," Connors said, finally looking away as the gate dialed behind them. "Be ready. We could meet resistance immediately."

"Oh, man, I hope we do." Bentley rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

The fourth member of SG-11, the name on his uniform reading Rafe, let out a snort. "You crazy shit."

The seventh chevron locked and there was the familiar 'whoosh' of the wormhole settling in to place. Connors led his team up the ramp first and Ellis waved his team to follow through. It wasn't a moment after their boots hit the sand that a group of Tok'Ra was there to greet them. There was no sign of Jaffa or arriving Death Gliders, so they counted their blessings.

"SG-1 is in the conference room," a male Tok'Ra with dark hair spoke as he wasted no time in leading them towards the ring platform. "We have been able to evacuate most of our supplies thus far, but the threat of Tanith's whereabouts is posing unresolved issues."

"We'll see what we can do for your people," Connors promised with a firm nod.

They were taken down in turns on the ring transporter and led to the conference room where SG-1 and Jacob sat with uneasy faces. When Daniel's eyes met hers, Kashoku finally felt herself be able to relax and she returned his soft smile.

"O'Neill," Connors gave a nod as the teams settled themselves around the table.

"Connors," O'Neill returned, giving a firm handshake. It was obvious he had respect for the other man, despite the tension that lay between the three teams.

"Lieutenant, I'm glad you're here," Sam smiled at Rodd. "I could really use your help with some calculations. The timing on this has to be exact."

Rodd's face flushed red in embarrassing excitement. "Whatever you need, ma'am."

"Well, it doesn't really look like we are needed here." Ramirez gave an annoyed huff. Most of the Tok'Ra had already cleared out, and the planet wasn't even under attack.

Before O'Neill could throw out his rude remark, Jacob stepped in to keep the peace. "We weren't sure how long it would take for Apophis to receive word from Tanith and figured some back up couldn't hurt. We still aren't in the clear yet. But in the meanwhile there are some supplies we could use your help taking to the gate before we beam it up."

"Just tell us where to go," Ellis commanded with an annoyed tapping of fingers against his weapon.

"I'm going to go ahead and beam up to get things ready," Sam told her father with a gentle hand on his shoulder before standing. With a look toward Rodd she beckoned for him to follow her.

"The Tok'Ra outside the room can tell you where you are needed. Thank you." Jacob nodded towards the teams, all but dismissing them.

Bentley gave an annoyed groan and crossed his arms. "Man, I ain't a god damn moving truck. Apophis needs to hurry the fuck up." He began to clear out with the rest of the team members muttering curses under his breath.

"Kashoku," Daniel called after the Spiran who was the last in line to leave. She turned around with a questioning, but soft, look. "There's another room back this way that has some artifacts I insisted I help move. Care to give a hand?"

"Of course," Kashoku responded and happily took off at Daniel's side out of the conference room. "Are there really artifacts to move?" Kashoku asked once they were far enough from the others, voice laced with laughter threatening to come out.

Daniel smiled and shoved his hands into the pockets of his BDU pants. "Yes. Although," he gave a playful shrug, "I probably could have carried the lone box myself."

Kashoku tossed him a disapproving look that quickly cracked into a grin. "Incorrigible. I was worried when we got the call, you know. I'm really glad to see everyone is okay."

Daniel pushed his glasses back up onto his nose as they entered the room with its lone box in a corner. "Well, we aren't out of the woods yet but with you here I know we'll be okay." Bending over he grabbed hold of the bottom corners of the box and lifted it safely into his arms.

The Spiran knew she should have taken the words as a compliment, but she couldn't help but feel an extreme pressure settle on her shoulders after that comment. "I can't protect you from everything, Daniel. I'm not invincible."

"Maybe not," Daniel agreed, beginning back the way they had come, "but we are a lot better off with you here than not."

Kashoku was about to respond when they were interrupted by a Tok'Ra taking the box off of Daniel's hands for him, and then Ramirez signaled for their attention as she made her way towards them.

"Any news?" Kashoku asked.

"The last Tok'Ra are about to make their way through. Colonel O'Neill wants you at the ring," she pointed to Daniel. "He wants the rest of us to stay behind and see if we can sweep the area and find Tanith. Once they've got the Stargate loaded and ready to go they'll pick us up and we'll get the fuck out of dodge before Apophis shows up."

Daniel gave an understanding nod and ran a comforting hand down Kashoku's lower arm. "Be careful, okay? I'll see you soon."

"You, too." Kashoku gave a firm nod.

"Are you done?" Ramirez crossed her arms and motioned with a nod of her head for Kashoku to follow her as she took off. The captain led her back to the conference room where SG-15 and 11 were waiting.

"Tanith can't have gone far," Connors began as they all got situated. "Long-range sensors don't detect any ships so that means someone has to be coming for him. In that case, he'll be hanging around here in order to use the rings when Apophis's fleet shows. It's most likely that he has not been able to give up any valuable information to Apophis yet other than our current location, and we need to keep it that way."

"We'll break up into teams and scan the surrounding area while SG-1 gets things ready on the ship," Ellis added. "If you find Tanith do your best to keep him alive, but no one is going to be cryin' any tears here if a trigger finger accidently slips. We'll do a radio check every 10 mikes. If you get out of range turn back. Keep in mind this is a god damn desert; make sure you keep track of your surroundings. I know it sounds archaic but use your god damn compass."

Connors gave a firm nod in agreement. "Rafe, you're with me. Ramirez-"

"If you put me with Bentley I will put a fucking bullet in somebody's head," Ramirez threatened, before realizing her auto-Bentley response had been directed at her commanding officer, "…Sir."

"What? Baby, come on! You and I do such great work together," Bentley whined. "Is it my hot bod? I know it's distracting, but babe, you gotta get used to it! I can't tone down the sexy just so you can concentrate." He leaned forward and threw a lascivious wink towards Kashoku.

"I can't get any god damn work done when you are around because I'm too busy punching you in your fucking face!" Ramirez growled, while Kashoku recoiled.

Carr lifted a hand and coughed. "I'll go with him, sir."

Connor's expression was dark and his eyebrow twitched in annoyance. A heavy and drawn out sigh gave every indication this was an occurrence that happened often amongst the team. "Fine. Since Captain _Princesa_ over here thinks she is entitled to whatever the fuck she wants," he turned towards Ramirez and gave her the fakest smile possible, "who would you like to be with?"

Ramirez ran her tongue across her upper teeth and controlled her urge to roll her eyes. In a sudden motion she reached out and grabbed Kashoku's wrist, spun her around, and dragged her out of the conference room.

It took several seconds and the conference room out of sight before Kashoku wasn't dazed enough to ask, "What are we doing?"

"We're going to go find that motherfucker is what." Ramirez stopped at the rings and said nothing else as they were transported up to the surface.

The wind had picked up and blew strands of Kashoku's hair out of her ponytail and into her face. "I don't understand how you do that," she began as she tucked the stray pieces behind her ears.

"Do what?" Ramirez asked, pulling out her compass and shooting her azimuth.

"Talk back to Colonel Connors like that," Kashoku explained. "He just seems like he'll lash out at any moment."

"Eh, sometimes he does," she shrugged. "I know my limits, _puta_. Besides, he knows better than to put us together like that."

"You remind me so much of Kage." Kashoku shook her head. "Honestly, I swear you two are like the same person."

Ramirez laughed. "Remind me to make it a point to hang out with her then."

Kashoku's shoulders slumped, regretting ever mentioning it. Ramirez and Kage hanging out sounded like a nightmare. The thought of her friend gave her an idea though. Shoving the sleeve of her uniform up, she exposed her sphere grid and changed into her Thief sphere. An object that looked much like a pair of binoculars appeared in her hands and she was soon looking out into the distance.

Ramirez blinked in surprise and stared heavily at Kashoku. "_D__amn_, _chica_!"

Kashoku glanced at her, confused until her eyes lit up in comprehension. "Oh, I'm sorry. Everyone keeps telling me the outfits are inappropriate for your world, but there really isn't much I can do about it."

Ramirez's eyes slid up and down very slowly taking in all of Kashoku's form. "Oh, no, it's totally cool. I don't mind at all. Um, so, why the wardrobe change?"

Kashoku's cheeks were bright red as she fumbled with her binoculars and tried to focus her attention. "Oh, well, the Thief sphere is all about being able to find things that don't want to be found, especially in a desert."

"Well, that's handy," Ramirez murmured as she still was staring at Kashoku. With a heavy sigh she pulled her eyes away and looked out into the distance. "Anything?"

"Mm," Kashoku lowered the binoculars and looked out with narrow eyes. "Well, it's not designed to pick up human traces, but rather technology. It is picking up some sort of signature in that direction." She pointed north-east.

"Okay, well, Tanith could be using a communications system. It's worth checking out. Can you keep us on azimuth?"

Kashoku nodded the same time a crackling came from the radios.

"_Radio_ _check_."

Ramirez brought her radio up to her mouth. "Ramirez and Yoshiko are good. Be advised, sir, Kashoku is getting an energy reading from one of her…powers. We're going to go check it out."

"_Good_ _copy_. _Keep_ _advised._"

"Roger, out." Ramirez let the radio drop and extended her hand. "After you."

Kashoku took one last glance through the binoculars to get her heading and then started out. The readings indicated the signature roughly 1000 meters out, so it wouldn't take overly long to get there.

Ramirez couldn't help but notice the way Kashoku practically glided across the sand while her heavy boots sank with each step. "How are you walking like that?"

Kashoku flashed a grin over her shoulder. "I told you this sphere was meant for the desert. It's one of the perks. I'll show you sometime."

"Am I going to end up in a string-bikini like you?" There was a hopeful hint in her voice.

Kashoku gave an honest shrug. "Don't know. It's different for every person. Kage's isn't as revealing as this one."

"Hmm," Ramirez hummed. "Shame."

Kashoku came to a halt and crossed her arms. She looked long and hard into Ramirez's eyes causing the Latina to shift uncomfortably.

"Why the hell are you looking at me like that, _puta_ _bonita_?"

Kashoku gave a shake of her head. "Your reaction to the spheres is just different, is all. All the men at the base seem to break out in a sweat and cover their eyes the instant I show up in any of them, but not you."

Ramirez laughed. "That's because at least half of the men that have seen you in them have never come within twenty feet of a pussy before. Things are different here. It wasn't until recently that women were even allowed to be soldiers, so all these guys know is other guys. I've spent many years seeing naked women out in training, _puta_. It ain't nothing I haven't seen." She gave a wave for emphasis and continued walking.

"Wait," Kashoku jogged to quickly catch up to the captain. "Women weren't allowed to be soldiers? The most famous of warriors on Spira are women. The first and final summoners were both women."

"Must be nice," Ramirez huffed. "But it hasn't even been a hundred years where we've been able to hold the same jobs or have the same rights as men. Human rights are really lacking here. You can't tell me there isn't any prejudice on your planet?"

Kashoku's shoulders slumped trying to take in what the other woman was saying. "Well…yes. There are still some races on our planet that aren't treated as fairly as others. It's gotten a lot better since the Eternal Calm, but it still isn't perfect."

"No matter where you go there will always be hatred in people's hearts. How much further?" She quickly changed the subject, not wanting to discuss it any further.

Kashoku pulled out the binoculars. "Still about 500 meters."

Ramirez answered another radio check before acknowledging Kashoku's response. "Okay, let's keep moving. I wonder what the hell is taking SG-1 so damn long."

"I'm sure they are-" Kashoku was cut off by a beeping noise from her binoculars. She frowned and put them back up to her eyes. The energy indicator was pointing up and behind her. "_Nani_…?" She spun around and spotted what was setting it off immediately. She didn't need binoculars to see the two ships heading towards them fast. "Ramirez!"

"What the fuck?" Ramirez whispered as she made eye contact.

Kashoku swallowed hard. "Uh… Is it just me or are they headed right for us?"

Ramirez grabbed Kashoku's shoulder and took them both to the ground right before explosions went off not far from them. The death glider was firing at the cargo ship. When the dust settled they both looked up just in time to see the two ships crash in the direction they had been going. "What do you want to bet that was a pick up for Tanith? I think whatever you were picking up was right on target."

"_Uh,_ _guys?!"_ Daniel's voice rang over the radio. "_Colonel_ _O'Neill_ _and_ _Teal'c_ _were_ _in_ _a_ _glider._ _They_ _aren't_ _responding._ _I_ _think_ _they_ _crashed!"_

Ramirez grabbed hold of her radio. "I've got a visual. We aren't far from their location. We'll check it out."

"_Be_ _careful,"_ Connors's voice rang out. "_All_ _units_ _head_ _towards_ _the_ _c__rash_ _site_ _to_ _provide_ _assistance._"

"We need to hurry. They could be hurt." Kashoku took off at a sprint towards the smoke. They were still a little ways out. They had made it about half-way there when the sound of gun fire drew their attention. It was away from the crash.

"Looks like we already got some company." Ramirez's mouth drew into a thin line as she readied her weapon and they took off again towards the gun fire.

The area was surrounded by Jaffa when they finally made it on sight. Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c were trapped in the middle. There was a sudden burst of blue light around all four of the soldiers and Ramirez opened up fire. Kashoku changed into the white robes of healing as she made for the O'Neill and Teal'c.

"Teal'c!" O'Neill shouted with a point. "He was shot!"

Kashoku by-passed the colonel without question and slid through the sand on her knees towards Teal'c's side. Without hesitance she put her magic to work and blocked out the sounds of fighting around her. A forceful grab on her arm broke her from her trance with a gasp. Teal'c was looking up at her and gave a small dip of his head in thanks before getting to his feet. Kashoku's eyes followed him and she noticed Ramirez and O'Neill walking towards them, Jaffa laying dead all around them.

"T, you okay?" O'Neill asked

"I am fine, O'Neill." He turned a curious gaze toward Ramirez. "Your timing could not have been better, Captain Ramirez."

"Thank Kashoku for that one," Ramirez stated as she wiped the sand from her brow. "She detected some energy signature coming from where you guys ended up crashing. I'm guessing Tanith was sending out a distress signal."

"You guys okay?" Ellis's voice rang from the top of the dune. Wells was directly on his heels as they hurried towards their location.

"Oh yeah, peachy," O'Neill groaned, running his hands through his hair to get the sand out.

"The others aren't far behind," Wells said as he tried to catch his breath from running.

"_Jack,_ _Kashoku…_ _Someone_ _co__me_ _in._"

"Yeah, I'm here," O'Neill answered. "Hey, thanks for checking in."

"_Yeah,_ _we_ _had_ _a_ _little_ _trouble_ _avoiding_ _Apophis's_ _fleet._ _Are_ _you_ _all_ _in_ _position_ _to_ _be_ _ringed_ _up?"_

"Give us a few. Still got some stragglers."

"_Is_ _everyone_ _okay?_"

O'Neill rolled his eyes. "We're all fine Daniel…." He eyed Kashoku briefly and then continued, "All thanks to Kashoku, I might add."

Kashoku's eyes narrowed and she felt an upward pull at her lips. "Did you just say thank you?"

"_D__id…_ _Did_ _you_ _just_ _say_ _'thank_ _you'_ _to_ _Kashoku?"_

O'Neill's nostrils flared in annoyance. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, put it in the record books because it's not going to ever happen again. Just be ready to beam us up, Daniel."

Kashoku put her hands on her hips and cocked them to one side while keeping her gaze on O'Neill. "You're welcome, you know."

O'Neill was saved from having to give a response as the remaining four team members made their way in. "Alright, Daniel, we're all here."

"_Okay,_ _I'll_ _ring_ _you_ _up_ _in_ _teams."_

When they had all finally made it back onto the ship with Daniel waiting for them in the transport room, there was a loud explosion and the ship shook. Daniel pushed his glasses back up onto his nose. "Guess that was the sun… Better go see if it worked."

In all haste they headed towards the bridge where Jacob, Sam, and Rodd were furiously working around the consoles.

"Well, this looks promising," O'Neill commented dryly, eyeing the trio warily as they all filed in.

Jacob looked up at them, shaking his head in shock. "The navigational systems aren't recognizing any of the star patterns. According to these readings we've travelled over four million light years."

"Sir, we aren't even in the same galaxy anymore," Rodd added in distress.

There was a heavy silence as they all tried to take that in.

"Say what now?" Bentley asked tensely.

"This is impossible!" Sam shook her head in exasperation, fingers tapping swiftly across the console.

"The explosion must have somehow affected the subspace window created by the hyperdrive," Rodd explained.

"Wait. Wait a minute. Are you saying we can't get back?" O'Neill asked with raised eyebrows. "Because that's what it sounds like you're saying. Is anyone else hearing that?"

"I don't know," Jacob shrugged. "The ship isn't normally capable of going that fast."

"Well it sure as hell didn't take us long to get here," Ellis hissed.

"Well, sir," Rodd began, "given our current location and maximum hyperdrive speed – which we don't have – it's going to take us 125 years to get back."

"Long range sensors are picking up another ship," Jacob interjected. "It's Apophis."

"Alright!" Bentley fist-bumped Carr.

"It's a party now, brah!" Carr grinned, both men completely ignoring the fact they probably would never make it home.

"He's arming weapons," Jacob's voice was quickly going from calm to panic filled. "Shields are not responding – not that they'd do much good anyways. That ship has weapons powerful enough to penetrate our shields at full power."

"Hyperdrive?" Sam chimed in hopefully.

Her father shook his head. "It's not responding. The blast wave that propelled us here did some damage."

Daniel leaned forward against the panel. "Can we communicate with them?"

There were various snorts and curt laughs from the surrounding audience. Bentley had no problem voicing his opinion on the matter. "Oh, um, excuse me, Mr. Most-Bad-Ass-Mother-Fucker-In-The-Galaxy, could you please not kill us? I mean I know we've been the biggest pain in your ass since forever, but come on."

Daniel shot him a glare and crossed his arms. "Believe it or not, sometimes it does work."

"Apophis is unlikely to grant mercy," Teal'c said.

Jacob sighed and gave a nonchalant shrug. "Nothing to lose at this point." He opened up communications and let Selmac take control. "Kree, Lord Apophis. I am Selmac of Tok'Ra, commander of this ship."

O'Neill shot him a questioning look. "Commander?"

Jacob glared back. "You want to bicker about rank right now?"

Apophis's face appeared on the screen. "Ona'ka, shel Apophis. Rok ona ja kuna. Shel we how'akek." With a glance towards Teal'c he added, "Shol'va!"

Jacob turned and translated for the group. "He says it's time for us to die."

Wells gave a nonchalant shrug. "Well, today _is_ a good day to die."

"Uh, excuse me, wait a sec," Daniel interjected. "I don't know if you've checked your dashboard here, but we're both way off course."

Apophis smirked, looking fairly amused. "Oroc ra, kree mak. Ona'kra ja'do."

"He says he knows everything," Jacob began, "and he's also saying there's nothing we can do to help him. He's going to destroy us."

"We surrender!" Daniel shouted.

"What?!" Several voices objected.

"Daniel?!" O'Neill scowled.

Daniel took a big breath to calm himself but it didn't stop his eyes from rolling. "It's either that or he blows us to pieces. I'm just trying to buy us a little more time."

Rafe snorted lightly. "Alright, plan noted, but I'm not sure what the hell we can come up with in time.

"Klavel ha," Apophis responded before his image disappeared from the screen.

"Well?" Ellis asked with a nod towards the screen that now projected the stars, "What was his response?"

Teal'c was the one who answered. "Too late."

Ramirez glared daggers at Daniel. "Way to go, Jackson. Your plan worked perfectly."

Daniel's eyebrows furrowed and he opened his mouth to respond, but Jacob spoke first. "I'm picking up another ship on sensors."

"They are firing at Apophis," Rodd added.

Sam watched as her father started up the engines of their ship. "What are you doing?"

"Getting us the hell out of here. That ship is unlike anything on computer records."

"Well," Sam tilted her head, "we are in an uncharted part of the universe."

"I'm enjoying their style," O'Neill said, watching the sensor readings with approval. "Shoot first, send flowers later. It works."

"Yeah, well, who isn't to say they'll come after us once they are done with Apophis?" Ellis reminded. "We have no idea who – or what – is attacking him."

Connors tipped his chin in agreement. "The enemy of my enemy is not always my friend."

"Yeah, I agree. I don't want to find out which one we are dealing with here," Jacob said. "Teal'c, any ideas?"

Teal'c shook his head. "I, too, have not seen such a ship before."

"Now what are you doing?" Sam inquired as her father messed with more controls on the panel.

"This system is centered around a blue giant. If we can move close enough to the coronasphere, the radiation should keep us off their sensors."

"Radiation? You're joking right?" Connors huffed. "Let's just switch one way to die with another."

"The ship's hull will protect us," Jacob explained, "…for a while."

"How long is a while?" Ellis demanded.

"About an hour without shields, ten with. Sam, give me a hand?" Jacob rose from his seat as he and his daughter left the bridge for the engine room.

"I'd fix the shields first," O'Neill called out before Sam and Jacob left the bridge. "Just a suggestion…"

Daniel gave Kashoku a thoughtful glance. "Would White Mage be able to provide any extra help against radiation?"

Kashoku thought about it, but shook her head in the end. "I don't know. It's not exactly something I've ever had to test before. Even if it does, though, it wouldn't be much help. With that much exposure I'd have to recast almost immediately and I can't keep that up forever."

Daniel sighed. "Right, well, it was worth an ask, I guess."

Carr stretched his arms above his head and groaned. "Man, this is just so exciting. I'm not going to die in a fire-fight with a bunch of Jaffa, oh no. Instead I'm going to fry to death. Be sure to put that on my tombstone, will you?"

"It is a bit anti-climatic," Rafe agreed in good humor.

"Oh, hey, here's a thought – maybe we'll make it out of here alive," Ellis offered sarcastically.

Wells laughed with a hand on his commander's shoulder. "You're hilarious, sir."

"Fuck, it's getting hot," Bentley groaned.

O'Neill pressed the intercom button. "Hey, uh, it's getting a little hot up here, kids." There wasn't a response, but he frankly hadn't expected one.

It was another good fifteen minutes before Sam and Jacob returned to the bridge with Jacob heading straight for the controls. "The hyperdrive is history but we are okay for shields and weapons for now. I'm taking us out of the coronasphere. Sensors are coming back online."

"They're picking up Apophis's ship," Rodd stated worriedly.

"What about the other one?" O'Neill asked.

"No," Rodd shook his head. "It's not out there. Apophis isn't moving, though."

"Was the ship damaged?" Connors asked.

"That's impossible," Jacob breathed.

O'Neill lifted an eyebrow. "Care to share?"

Daniel swallowed hard. "It says there's no life signs on board."

Teal'c gave a small tilt of his head. "If they had left in a cargo ship we would have detected them."

Kashoku frowned. "Well, then what happened to all of them?"

"I don't know, but let's go check it out." O'Neill grabbed his vest and swung it over his shoulders. "Carter, Jacob, Teal'c, and 11 with me. Daniel, 15, stay behind and keep us advised on anything out there. We don't know if that alien ship is going to come back or not."

Ellis nodded and his team and Daniel stayed behind while the others left the bridge. They all made themselves comfortable, except for Daniel who stayed standing at the console staring at the image of the alien ship with a furrowed brow.

Not failing to notice, Kashoku placed a comforting hand on his forearm. "What is it?"

"I don't know," Daniel admitted quietly, "but I just can't shake the feeling that I know what this is…"

"Like, you've seen the ship before?"

Daniel shook his head. "No, it's not that… I don't know. I guess we'll just sit back and see what they find."

The first thing they did find upon stepping out of the transporter room was dead Jaffa everywhere. Teal'c and Connors stepped forward together and examined the closest fallen soldier.

"T?" O'Neill questioned.

Teal'c shook his head. "I do not know, O'Neill."

"It wasn't a staff blast or anything done by a Goa'uld," Connors noted with a frown.

Teal'c stood and listened to the voice blaring over the intercom. "A self-destruct has been set. We have four minutes."

"I'll try and shut it off from the pel'tac," Jacob said before turning towards his daughter. "Do you know where the crystals are?"

Sam nodded. "I'll go get them."

"I'll go with you, Carter. Connors, take your team and scout the immediate area and see what you can find before we have to hop out of here," O'Neill said.

"This way, sir," Sam motioned before they took off at a brisk pace.

Bentley kicked one of the bodies causing it to roll over. "Ewwww."

Rafe rolled his eyes before looking closer at the body. "I don't get it. I don't even see any wounds. What could have caused it?"

"Well, whatever it is I hope we aren't around to fucking find out," Ramirez murmured with her weapon in the down-ready position. "This whole thing just-"

Connors held up his hand to silence the group. Off in the distance there was a ringing of metal like working machines. Connors let out a grunt. "Of course it is."

"Fuck!" Rafe's eyes widened as he raised his weapon. "Please tell me that is not what I think it is."

Connors brought his radio up to his mouth. "O'Neill, we need to get out of here, now."

"_Oh_ _yeah,"_ O'Neill's voice cracked through, his tone making it obvious he was well aware what was going on. "_We_ _are_ _still_ _going_ _to_ _grab_ _the_ _crystals._ _Meet_ _back_ _in_ _the_ _ring_ _room_ _and_ _be_ _ready_ _to_ _go_."

"_S__a__m,_ _I_ _can't_ _shut_ _down_ _the_ _self-destruct,"_ Jacob's voice came through. "_You_ _have_ _to_ _hurry!_"

Daniel and SG-15 frowned at the radio conversation coming through the ship's speakers. Daniel held down the button on the console and spoke, "Guys, what's going on?"

"_The_ _ship_ _is_ _crawling_ _with_ _Replicators!_" Sam shouted through.

"Oh, fucking great!" Carr threw his arms up in the air. "No. I didn't sign up for Replicators, man!"

Kashoku turned to Daniel, realizing she was the only one out of the loop. "Replicators? What are they?"

"Uh," Daniel tried formulating the words in his brain after the shock of what was going on. "Think of like…the machina back on Spira. Kind of like that only they use the pieces of the ship to create more and more of themselves."

"Oh." Kashoku gave a slow nod. "So basically they'll eat us alive to create more of themselves."

"Yup." Daniel nodded. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

"_D__aniel,_ _I_ _need_ _you_ _to_ _be_ _ready_ _to_ _fly_ _the_ _ship_ _out_ _of_ _here_ _as_ _soon_ _as_ _we're_ _back_ _on_ _board!"_ Jacob radioed through.

"Uh, you'll have to tell me how to do that," the archaeologist responded.

"I've got it." Rodd motioned for Daniel to move and took his position at the console. It was barely a few seconds later when Jacob came in screaming at them to go with the rest of the team in tow.

"There's not enough time to fix the hyperdrive," Sam said, voice laced with panic despite her usual calm nature.

"We're going to have to hope the sublight engines can get us far enough away," Jacob replied with a small shake of his head. When Apophis's ship exploded in a beam of orange light, he called out, "Divert power from engines to shields!"

Rodd's nimble fingers ran across the control panel as he obeyed the order. The blast washed over them and shook the ship, but Rodd gave a hopeful report. "Shields held. We didn't take any more damage."

Sam slumped a little in relief before straightening and pulling herself together. "Dad, we should go fix the crystals."

"Yeah." Jacob turned and followed his daughter shoulder-to-shoulder out of the bridge and towards the control room.

"Dude," Bentley groaned, rubbing at a knot in his neck as he took up post next to his best friend, "not a party."

Carr frowned in response. "Not at all."

"What good do the crystals really do us?" Rafe asked, crossing his arms. "We'll still all be dead way before we make it back. We have no supplies."

"We'll just have to find a planet that does have supplies and go from there," Ellis said. His voice was void of any emotion. There was no disappointment or frustration, but there was hardly any hint of hope.

When Jacob and Sam finally returned and Rodd put them into hyperdrive, they all sat around to discuss what the hell they _were_ going to do about their predicament. Jacob was the first to chime in on the issue. "Sensors can help us pick up a planet that could have some supplies so we can restock, but let's also be realistic here; myself, Teal'c, and Kashoku are the only ones who could even survive the journey in terms of age. We might as well find a suitable planet to-"

O'Neill wasn't going to have it. "There's gotta be other options here, Jacob."

Jacob shifted uncomfortably and sighed in frustration. "What do you want me to say, Jack?"

"We'll figure something out. Keep going."

Kage sidestepped Airman Bruce and let the ball fly from her hands towards the net. It bounced off the rim before finding its way through. "GAME!" Her 'babysitters' Airmen Bruce, Coleman, and Rogers had gathered some of their friends and taught Kage how to play the Earth game of basketball. They had been playing for hours. She walked over to the side and grabbed the towel to run across her face.

"You're a natural, I'll give you that," Rogers spouted as he grabbed his water bottle and squirted a long stream into his mouth.

Kage threw the towel over her shoulder and smirked. "More like I just hate to lose." She picked up the edge of the towel to wipe her face again when she noticed General Hammond walk in the door of the gymnasium.

The airmen snapped to attention immediately but the general waved them off. "Kage, do you have a moment?"

Kage licked her lips nervously and began walking over to the general. "Sir, I've been with them all day long -"

Hammond put up a hand to silence her. "You're not in trouble, Kage. I have received word from the Tok'Ra about the mission Kashoku was on. They've…lost contact with them. The ship they were on has completely disappeared from their sensors."

Kage swallowed hard and gripped at the towel tightly. "So… She's dead?"

"No," Hammond corrected quickly. "There is no evidence to suggest that. If there is one thing I know about people at the SGC, it's that they always find a way, Kage. I have every faith that they are out there working out how to get home at this very moment. I just thought you should know the situation at hand…"

Kage bit at her lower lip as she nodded in understanding. "Yeah… Thanks." Hammond gave her a curt nod before leaving. Kage stood there for several seconds before beginning to head towards the door.

"Hey," Coleman called out, "where are you going?" He began quickly gathering his things as he was technically still on watch for her.

"Punching bag!" was the only thing the Spiran called out before she was out of sight.

They were no closer to making a decision than they had been an hour ago. Not many words had been spoken, but the occasional suggestion to just find a planet to set up base on had been quickly shot down by O'Neill.

Rodd was about to dose off at his post at the control panel when lights began to blink causing his brown eyes to widen. "Uh, ya'll? We've got a problem."

"What is it?" Jacob asked as he began making his way over to the lieutenant.

"I've completely lost control of the ship!" Rodd exclaimed.

Jacob let his fingers glide across the panel but to no success. "We've also picked up speed….We are going almost 100 times the speed of the maximum hyperdrive."

"How is that possible?" Sam exclaimed.

Teal'c's jaw clenched tightly. "Is it possible that the Replicators somehow followed us back onto the ship?"

Frowns spread across the faces of the three teams present. Sam bit lightly at the inside of her cheek before answering. "It's a strong possibility. They could easily hack the systems and boost our hyperdrive. Good news is that we'll be back in our galaxy in no time, but…"

O'Neill grabbed his weapon. "We've got to stop these things from completely taking over the ship. Daniel, Jacob, Lieutenant, stay here and see if you can regain control. Everyone else, go in teams and let's get rid of these bastards. Carter and I will check out the damage done to the engine room."

Ramirez latched herself onto Kashoku again, but Wells followed closely behind. With Replicators on their heels it was best to go in at least teams of three. They headed down the right hallway with their weapons at the low-ready position.

"You know," Ramirez began, "just when you think this mission can't get any worse."

"Cheer up. It could be worse," Wells said firmly.

"Fucking how?"

Wells grinned. "Could have made you go with Bentley."

Ramirez shrugged. "I don't know, it would have made a nice distraction to push him into a wave of Replicators as I made a run for it. The two of you make it hard for me to choose who to sacrifice."

"Oh, gee," Wells gave a grin, "I feel so loved." He was about to add on to his comment when his ears picked up on a noise. "Wait. You hear that?"

Kashoku did. "Is that the Replicators?" It sounded a lot like machina moving around.

He clicked his weapon off safe and raised it. "Ladies, it's show time."

The sound of the P-90s firing filled the hallways of the ha'tak ship. The wave didn't last long, falling to pieces like Legos against the ground, but it didn't ease any of the tension. They remained still for several moments, waiting and listening before feeling it was safe to venture on.

Kashoku knelt down next to a pile of the pieces and carefully picked one up. "It scares me to think," she began as she studied the piece, "that things we create turn into this… There was a machina - a machine – called Vegnagun on Spira that grew so powerful it began thinking for its own and tried to destroy the planet."

"Yeah, well," Ramirez huffed, "that's what happens when you create machines with the intent to destroy – they destroy."

"_Uh,_ _guys_," O'Neill's voice rang from the radio. "_We've_ _go__t_ _hordes_ _of_ _these_ _things_ _in_ _the_ _engine_ _room_ _and_ _they_ _are_ _starting_ _to_ _adapt."_

"Adapt?" Kashoku asked in confusion.

"Shit," Wells cursed. "The Replicators can adapt to our weapons so they are no longer effective. Come on, let's see if we can find any other weapons on the ship and help them out."

They took off at a jog back in the direction they had come, but they only made it through one turn before they ran into another wave of Replicators. Turning to run the other way they quickly found themselves surrounded. Thoughts were racing through Kashoku's head as their backs touched each other in the corral. _Machina…_ _Daniel_ _said_ _they_ _were_ _like_ _machina_.

Pulling up her left sleeve she stepped forward away from Ramirez and Wells and activated her Black Mage dress sphere. It wouldn't be as strong as Kage's, but Kashoku was hoping it would be enough. Electricity danced between her white gloves before she let the current fly through the hallway towards the Replicators. The Replicators froze in place for several seconds before the pieces shattered across the hallway floor in a hurricane.

"_P__uta_ _madre_!" Ramirez gasped in a low voice. Her brown eyes were wide in surprise and amazement. "Well fuck me sideways, _p__uta_; you are more than just a pretty face."

"My black magic abilities are very limited," Kashoku frowned as she turned to face the two. "If Kage were here she'd be able to wipe out the entire ship of Replicators in one go. Hopefully what I have will do."

"It's better than what we had," Wells nodded in approval. "There's no way though we are going to get back control of this ship."

As if all of them had heard Wells's concern, Connors came in over the radio. "_All_ _personnel_ _head_ _to_ _the_ _cargo_ _ship._ _We're_ _getting_ _off_ _this_ _mother_ _fucker_."

"_We_ _need_ _some_ _help._ _We're_ _blocked_ _off!"_ Sam's voice rang in a fury of gun fire.

"We'll provide back-up," Wells responded. "Kashoku has a means of taking out the Replicators. Everyone else get to the ship."

"_Good_ _copy,"_ Connors responded.

Kashoku followed in behind Wells and Ramirez at a run continuing on to help O'Neill and Sam. When they arrived at the engine room it was swarming in Replicators. O'Neill, Sam, and Teal'c were cornered against the main console. Kashoku swallowed down a lump of worry. She wasn't sure if she would be able to take them all out with what power she had. Hopefully she could at least provide a window of opportunity for the three to get out. "Stand back," she ordered as she let the power surge through her body. Concentrating her attacks on the area directly surrounding the members of SG-1 she began her onslaught.

The paths she made with her magic didn't last long before more Replicators were filling in the gaps, but O'Neill, Sam, and Teal'c wasted no time in maneuvering as the opportunities presented themselves. Kashoku could feel the magic growing weaker, but put all her effort into one last burst before the three broke loose and they were sprinting away towards the cargo bay.

"Nice work!" Sam grinned in relief. "It's like a supercharged zat!"

"I can't use anymore," Kashoku spoke bluntly as they rounded a corner. "Black magic is not my specialty."

"Well that's why we're getting the hell out of dodge!" O'Neill shouted as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.

"What about the Replicators? We can't just leave them to steal the ship!" Wells mentioned.

"Don't worry." Sam tossed them a mischievous smile. "I've got a plan." Everyone was waiting for them on the cargo ship when they entered through the back bay. Sam took a seat next to her father at the console. "We destroyed the control crystals while we were in the engine room. The bugs took us into a super hyperdrive."

"What? To where?" Carr asked, narrowing his eyes.

"To Sokar's home planet. Good news? We're back in our own galaxy," Sam said hopefully.

"Bad news?" Ellis raised an eyebrow.

"Well, we're on collision course, so we better hope we distracted the bugs long enough to get out of here as soon as we drop out of hyperspace. They could override the controls and prevent us from escaping," Sam sighed.

"Fingers crossed then," Rafe murmured as he leaned against the side panel of the ship.

"We're slowing down," Rodd spoke. "Get ready."

Jacob entered a code in on the panel and the cargo bay doors began to open. "Alright, here goes nothing." He started the engines and they slowly began moving towards the open doors.

"Dammit!" Rodd hissed, his accent coming through stronger than ever. "They've overridden the doors. They're shutting!"

"Are we going to make it?" O'Neill asked as he hooked his hand into one of the overhead bars.

Jacob didn't respond. He pushed all the power he could into the thrusters and gave a silent prayer. The cargo ship gave a shake as the back end caught the closing end of the doors, but they were through. "We're good. The ha'tak is headed for the planet on collision as planned."

There was collective sigh of relief. Connors cracked his neck on both sides before asking, "So what now?"

"I'll do a search for the closest friendly planet and we'll gate home. With only the cargo ship it'll take weeks before we get back to our solar system," Sam explained as she began inputting coordinates into the system.

"I'll put in known Tok'Ra bases," Jacob said.

"You can check Spira, too," Kashoku offered.

Sam checked the coordinates to Spira and tilted her head in amusement. "Actually, Spira is only eight hours if we push the thrusters."

There was no hesitation from O'Neill. "Do it. I'm ready to have a cold beer in my hand already."

Sam smiled. "Yes, sir."

Kashoku felt her heart warm at the thought of seeing Spira again. She knew it would only be for a brief moment, but it was good enough for her. "Is anyone hurt?"

Bentley moved so that he was touching shoulders with Kashoku, who was still garbed in her mage robes. "Yeah, baby, I think I'm hurting down here a little bit," he said as he reached in between his legs.

Daniel scowled, but it was Ramirez who slammed a kick into the back of his knees causing him to collapse instantly. Wells leaned in to put himself in between the crumpled body and Kashoku and slid Bentley away with his foot before adding, "Ladies are present, Bentley."

Bentley growled as he bore daggers into Ramirez. "Man, I don't see no fucking ladies here."

"Funny," Ramirez snarled, pushing Bentley back down and placing her boot right on his crotch, "because I don't see any men here either."

Ellis shook his head and gave a dragged out sigh. "They are worse than my fucking kids."

"They _are_ my fucking children," Connors growled.

"The qualifications for officer these days," O'Neill mumbled.

Ramirez finally let Bentley up, but he was still hunched over grabbing in between his legs. "Hey, now I really am hurt, you know?" he said pitifully.

Kashoku edged closer towards Daniel and Ellis before responding. "I think you'll be okay."

"How do you put up with this?" Daniel asked with a shake of his head.

Kashoku shrugged. "It's no different than dealing with Kage, I suppose. Giant five-year-olds."

It didn't take long for most of them to fall into an exhausted silence that left O'Neill, Connors, and Ellis counting their blessings. Even Kashoku found herself dozing off every once-in-a-while and was nudged gently awake by Daniel when they were coming through the atmosphere of Spira.

"Hey, Sam needs your help," Daniel spoke softly. "She needs to know how to get to the Gate."

Kashoku stretched her arms overhead and nodded. "We should probably be cloaked," she mentioned, her voice laced with sleep as she approached Sam. "The last time they saw a ship like this they got attacked."

Sam nodded. "We're cloaked. I tried picking up the Stargate on our censors, but I guess the cave is causing interference," the scientist apologized.

Kashoku looked out the window and saw the tall buildings and blitzball stadium that belonged to Luca. "Head northwest. It's the largest island on the planet, should be easy to spot."

"I'd say this was your chance to make up your promise from last time to take me to a kick-ass Spira party, but I don't even feel like it," Carr moaned. "I just want to go and let Michelle get me shamelessly drunk."

Kashoku gave a small smile. "Another time then." When they were over the desert she helped maneuver Sam towards the Cactuar Nation. "It's better if we land further away than where _Wing_ is. It might spook the Cactuars not recognizing the ship, and trust me when I say we don't want them to attack us."

"Let's not make a bad day worse," Ellis agreed. "I'd rather take a hike."

Sam set them down and the back door opened, a rush of desert heat blowing in and bringing anyone who had still been asleep to their senses. Kashoku casually switched into the Thief sphere before stepping out into the beating sun. "Be on your guard," she warned as everyone began filing out. "There are plenty of fiends out in the desert."

"_Cdub!"_

The sand around them began to move and people began to rise from underneath, guns pointing instantly at the members of the teams. They were fully surrounded.

Kashoku took a step forward with an outstretched hand signaling her peace. "_Bmayca,_ _fa_ _sayh_ _hu_ _ryns_!"

One of the women stepped forward, her full body suit red and tan. Kashoku could have sworn she had seen it before. The woman reached up for her mask and ripped it free revealing the long blonde locks and green eyes that were indeed familiar to Kashoku. "Rikku?!"

"Kashy!" She ran up and greeted her friend with a crushing hug. With a look over her shoulder she shouted, "_Cdyht_ _tufh!"_ The other Al Bhed lowered their weapons and the tension in everyone disappeared. "What are you doing here?!"

"Oh, um, we kind of got stranded on a ship out in space. Spira was the closest friendly planet. We figured we'd come here and then use the gate to get back to Earth," she explained. "What are _you_ doing out here? Yuna and Paine not with you?"

Rikku shook her head. "Nope. We recently got a ton of sphere readings out here and we've set up a huge excavation. We've found some really great stuff, I'm telling you! But the fiends out here have tripled since we've started, so sorry we jumped on you like that."

"No, it's okay, really. Glad you were here at least to diffuse it," Kashoku said, smiling.

"Hey, we should really take you back to our camp and use the hovercrafts to get to Cactuar Nation. It's not that far out of the way, but there are packs of sand wolves everywhere and we can outrun them easy on the crafts."

Kashoku removed herself from her friend's arms and looked back at the leaders of the mission. O'Neill was putting on his sun glasses and he gave a wave. "Fine by me."

Rikku shouted instructions in Al Bhed and her team spread out in formation with SG-1, 11, 15, and Jacob in the middle of the group so that they would be protected should something attack. "So, rumor is Kage went back with you to Earth. Is it true?"

Kashoku nodded. "She's there. I still don't understand it. She can't be happy having to sit and do nothing all day. Everyone on Earth is so scared of what she might do that she's on lockdown."

"Can you blame them?" Rikku asked as she crossed her arms. "I'm terrified of her!"

Kashoku laughed. "No, I don't blame them at all. I don't know… We're making it work, I guess."

They only encountered a few fiends on the short trip that were taken care of quickly by their Al Bhed guard. The outpost was stationed at one of the oases and there were plenty of hovercrafts waiting for them at the north end. If Kashoku didn't know better she would have said O'Neill had a bounce to his step as he got on one with his team.

The ride was silent for a long while until Carr let out a gasp. "Whoa! What the hell is that thing?!"

Kashoku looked up and saw a humongous bird-like creature flying above them. "It's a zu. It's probably contemplating whether or not it wants to pursue us as prey."

"Can we take that thing down if we have to?" Ellis asked as he, too, focused in on the creature.

Kashoku nodded. "With as much man power as we have it wouldn't be too difficult – inconvenient, but not difficult. I don't think it'll attack. There's too many of us."

The ride wasn't long on the hovercrafts and Rikku and her Al Bhed bid the warriors farewell just outside the entrance to the cave. Wasting no time they flipped the lights on their P-90s and made their way to the Stargate. Sam was all too happy to start punching in the address for Earth.

"Incoming Wormhole," Sergeant Harriman called out. "It's SG-1's IDC, sir."

General Hammond breathed out a huge sigh of relief. "Open the iris." Hopefully _all_ of the members of the teams would be coming back through unharmed. Slowly but surely he was able to mentally gain accountability of every member he had sent through the Gate with Jacob in addition. Turning on his heel he rushed down the stairs and to the embarkation room to meet them. "Welcome back! It's good to see the Tok'Ra intelligence we received was wrong."

"Don't get me wrong, George, I'm glad for it, but for a while there we all thought we were goners." Jacob gave the general a firm handshake and a smile.

"You can tell me all about it over a debrief. We'll make it as short as possible."

Kashoku found Kage in SG-15's office at _her_ desk messing around in _her_ books. Airman Bruce and another airman she didn't recognize were there talking with her. With crossed arms she made her presence known. "What are you doing with my stuff?"

Kage's head snapped up and she was out of her chair and into Kashoku's arms without missing a beat. "They thought you were dead!"

"Funny, we kind of did, too," Kashoku laughed and pushed away from Kage. "You didn't answer my question."

Kage shrugged. "I figured if I'm going to be here I might as well figure out how to read their writing system. Bruce and Johnson here have been helping me out. I'm pretty sure I'm a lot further than you already."

"Well, you always did get mad at me for how long it took me to learn Al Bhed," she mused.

Kage snorted and dropped back into Kashoku's chair, putting her feet up on the desk now that there was someone for it to bother. "Which I still don't understand. It's not like it was hard, Kashy."

Kashoku rolled her eyes and shoved her friend's feet down to the ground in lieu of even touching that argument. "You know," she started, taking a seat at Wells's desk, "we could have really used you on the mission…"

Kage gave her a skeptical look. "I really doubt that."

"No, I mean it," Kashoku assured. "We were under attack by these creatures called Replicators. They were a lot like machina and after a while the Earth weapons don't work anymore. I was able to hold them off for a while with my black magic, but you would have been able to take them all down in one stroke with your magic."

"I told you mastering the Black Mage sphere would be useful," she scoffed.

Kashoku rolled her eyes again. "All I'm saying is that if you're going to be here a while, maybe you should think about trying to get onto a team. It would be a lot more interesting than this."

Kage threw her head back and laughed. "Are you _joking_? Like Hammond would ever let me out of his sight. And who says that's what I want, anyway? Having to take orders like somebody's bitch? No thanks."

Kashoku shook her head and sunk in defeat. "Okay, Kage, fine. It was just a suggestion."

Airman Johnson coughed to break the silence and changed the subject. "We were going to order pizza and grab some beer to bring back, since she's been bitchin' how bad the food sucks here… We kind of agree. You want to join?"

"Sure," Kashoku nodded.

Kage closed the book she had been working from, her eyes lingering on the cover for a long moment before saying, "I'm glad you are okay."

The ex-singer smiled. "Me, too."

Maybe things were going to be okay after all.


	14. Chapter 14

Kage let out a long, exaggerated sigh, loud enough to drown out Dr. Lee's voice for a few merciful seconds. He hardly seemed to notice though as he carried on, his nose almost touching the computer screen in front of him. When he'd requested her help, babbling about some new device SG-8 had picked up on a mission, the doctor had insisted she'd be useful – except she'd done nothing but sit here for the past two hours. Any offers she'd made to take a look at the damn thing herself had been accepted under the clause of, "But just another minute more, Kage, I think I'm onto something here." with nothing ever coming of it. She was just about to say fuck it and leave when an unexpected voice kept her in her seat.

"Oh, good! You're blonde! I love blondes!"

Kage turned her head to the new distraction. Standing in the doorway to the lab was a man with a receding hairline, a soft abdomen, and the smuggest grin she'd ever seen. Fuck. It could be the two wasted hours or it could be the arrogance practically wafting off of the man, but she felt compelled to punch the guy without hesitation right then and there. "Do you still like them when they beat the shit out of you?"

The man laughed purposefully and wagged his finger at the Spiran. "They warned me about you. Said you could be a little _hostile_. Well, I also know that you can't touch me. Can't. Touch."

Kage pushed herself up and out of the cushioned chair and approached the new man slowly with the most menacing look she could pull. No words were said as she crossed her arms and stood less than a foot away.

The man whimpered and, predictably, took a step back. "I was told specifically that you could not touch me," he rallied.

Kage leaned forward so that she was inches away from the man's face and gave a slow grin. "I'm not touching."

Dr. Lee, in a suspiciously convenient show of timing, chose that moment to tune back into the world of the living. "Ah, Dr. McKay!" Dr. Lee beamed as he stood from his computer chair and extended his hand in greeting. "I see you've met Kage."

McKay let out a huge sigh of relief and coughed, "I –uh – yes. We've become acquainted. General Hammond said you had some items of interest?"

"Yes! Dr. Jackson has translated the inscription on the artifact from P3L-935 and-"

Kage rolled her eyes and quickly interrupted. "Can I please go? I have done nothing the entire time I've been here."

"Actually," McKay held up a finger, "I was told I would be allowed to run analysis on your dress spheres. So if you'd please. I –uh- heard they could be quite revealing."

Oh. My. God. The eager grin on the man's face as he spoke turned Kage's face red. Nails dug into the skin of her palms to keep from lashing out and ripping the flesh off the man's bones. With a shuddered breath, reminding herself that getting kicked off the planet for murder was a bad thing, she instead let a slow and maniacal smile play out on her lips. "Oh, of course. I'd be happy to show you every – little – detail."

McKay swallowed.

It turned out that Kage showing the doctor her dress spheres was far more fun for her than for the poor scientist. She kept to the rules of no touching or _verbal_ threatening, but she may have let a fireball or two slip her fingers enough to frighten McKay into calling it a day. It still took longer than her patience extended to be free of the man and, to make matters worse, Kashoku wasn't hanging out with her team like Kage had expected. Luckily it was no trouble to track her to Sam's office, and Kage would honestly take the blonde woman over Daniel any day.

Kashoku looked honestly surprised to see her when she whacked her fist on the doorway to Sam's lab. "Kage! Hey. What's up?"

"What's up?!" Kage huffed as she made her way to where the two women were. "What's up is I've had to deal with a disgustingly horny scientist all day while you're in here with the fun shit."

Sam gave an amused frown, "Dr. Lee?"

"No. Dr. McKay," Kage corrected, scowling.

Sam winced. "Oh god. McKay is here? I am so sorry."

Kage snorted and helped herself to an empty space of counter-top. Kashoku looked between the two, blinking in confusion. "Who is this Dr. McKay?"

"He's a civilian scientist," Sam explained. "He's a genius, but also the most arrogant and pompous ass I've ever met. He also really likes blondes."

"Yes," Kage's voice seeped with venom, "I noticed. Don't worry, though, I'm fairly certain he'll have a limp dick around me from now on."

Sam shook her head. "I wouldn't count on it. It doesn't matter what you did to scare him today. He'll shake it off by tomorrow. He's…persistent. I don't envy you working with him at all."

Kage's nostrils flared at that news. There were only so many days of that man's ogling she could take before she completely lost it. This task of keeping Kashoku happy was becoming tiresome very quickly. While her friend was able to parade around with her team off- base she was stuck here getting hit on by men she couldn't even put in their place. "This is quickly going to try my patience, Kashy."

Kashoku sighed and crossed her arms against the table-top. "I know it's hard now, but hang in there."

"Easy for you to say," Kage growled. "You haven't met the man. Instead you get to go off and have fun while I rot away in this prison. And for what?"

Kashoku's eyes narrowed and Sam carefully began to seal off her experiment, sensing that this was going downhill fast and not wanting to be distracted if anything went wrong.

"You chose to stay, Kage," Kashoku said, switching to their native tongue out of respect for Sam to try to limit the awkwardness.

"You asked!"

"Yes, I did, but that didn't mean you had to agree. I wanted you to be here, Kage, but not if you are going to continue to act this way. I thought we were past this!"

Kage recoiled for the barest fraction of a second, offense flashing across her face. Before Kashoku could even try to parse that, her friend was shoving off the counter-top and responding nastily enough to squash any guilt there might be. "Please," Kage scoffed, "You practically begged me to stay, and like a dumbass I fell for it. I'm a prisoner here, and soon enough you'll realize you are too. You just have a longer leash." She didn't wait for Kashoku to respond, turning her heel and storming out of the lab with crossed arms and an angry visage.

Fuck Kashoku and fuck Earth. It was time for her to focus on what she had come here to do in the first place. Kage was focusing so hard on her anger that she slammed right into someone in the hallway.

"Hey, watch the fuck where you're going, _pendejo_!"

Kage scowled as she whipped around and slammed the offender against the wall. "Say that again, _bitch_."

The woman's reaction was not what Kage expected. Captain Ramirez's surprised look ever so slowly turned into a smirk. "Oh," she gave a cluck of her tongue. "You _must_ be Kage."

Shit. Kage's expression went blank as her anger lifted and she processed the position she was in. Shit. Shit. Shit. She had just done the number one thing General Hammond had told her not to do. Her arms fell to her sides quickly and she backed up a step. "What's it to you?"

"Well," the other woman gave a pleased hum, "you sure don't disappoint. Slamming me against walls already, huh? What a turn on. You are everything Kashy said you'd be and more."

Kage narrowed her eyes. Was this bitch trying to egg her on or what? "Is that so? Just what exactly was it she said?"

"Oh you know, ruthless bitch and all that. Clearly it's her type. First it's you and then her eying up Wells all the time... Jackson is so obviously a cover for what she really wants. You know, a little _juegos bruscos._" Ramirez gave a cheeky grin. "So what's got you stomping around like you're lead bitch around here, huh? That title is already taken."

Kage crossed her arms defiantly. "Why do you care?"

Ramirez placed her hands on her hips and raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "Because like it or not, I work with that pretty little thing of yours and I'd hate to deal with the fallout. We girls gotta stick together around here, yeah?" When Kage made no effort to respond Ramirez gave out an annoyed sigh and a dramatic eye-roll. "You look like you could punch something. Why don't you come with me?"

Kage gave a grunt. "I'm sick of the punching bag."

"No, no, _chica_," Ramirez flung her arm across Kage's shoulders and began guiding her, "I'm not talking about the punching bag. I've got something living for you to kick around."

Kashoku had moved to Daniel's lab to work on her studies not long after Kage had stormed out in her fit. After their mission with Tanith and the Replicators, Kashoku had given Daniel her answer and was making a better effort to spend any spare time she could with Daniel to make things work. She was supposed to be describing a set of pictures in English to him at this moment, but she found herself simply staring at the images in the book.

Daniel glanced up over his glasses across the table at her and frowned. "Are you having trouble…?"

With a sigh Kashoku put her pencil down and crossed her arms underneath her chest. "No. I'm just…distracted. Kage is in one of her moods again. I don't know, Daniel, was it wrong of me to try and convince her to stay?"

Daniel sucked in a breath as he pushed his glasses back up against the bridge. He didn't say anything for a moment, obviously making an effort to think it over on her behalf. "She made that decision, Kash. You aren't holding her against her will, and if she isn't happy she can leave at any time. Believe me, General Hammond won't miss her."

"Mm," Kashoku hummed. "I don't think anyone but me would. I was just starting to get used to her not being around, you know? And now with all this going on…"

"You need to stop feeling so responsible for her actions. You've opened every door you can for her to make something of herself and her life, and that's all you can do. If she chooses not to be here, then let her go. If she makes the decision to go back to Spira and get caught up in bad things, let her. You aren't responsible for her.

"But-" Kashoku let out an exasperated sigh, cutting her own train of thought off. "Are you going to have a late night here?"

Daniel shook his head. "Shouldn't, unless someone decides to surprise me with more work. Why?"

"Take me somewhere?" Kashoku's eyes were wide and pleading.

It made it awfully hard for Daniel to resist – not that he ever wanted to. "Of course," he smiled. "What did you have in mind?"

"You did promise to teach me to cook," Kashoku mused thoughtfully.

"So I did," Daniel responded, playing along with a tap of his finger to his lips. "I think we can make that happen."

Kashoku grinned and for a brief moment she wasn't letting thoughts of Kage bring her down.

"Well hello, gorgeous," Ramirez purred as she ran a hand over the bulging muscles of Rafe's bare bicep.

"Hey, baby, whatcha' doin?" Rafe grazed his dark brown eyes up and down Ramirez before curling his lips up into a smile.

"Found us a brooding stray out in the hall," she explained, giving his sweaty arm a pat before she turned to toss her towel to the side of the mats.

Rafe looked past her and grinned as he saw Kage. "Well, well, look who it is. You done beating up the punching bag yet?"

Kage shrugged and, copying Ramirez's action, leaned in close to the man that her lips were next to his ear. "No, I just got a new one."

"Da-yum!" Rafe drew out the words with a little shudder. He kept his pleased gaze on Kage as he said, "Why you gotta always bring the mean ones, Ramirez?"

"What, are you saying you're scared?" The Latina asked in between push-ups. "All talk and no balls, aren't you?"

Rafe gave a grunt of amusement before motioning Kage towards the mats. "I know you can take on a punching bag, but the question is," he turned around and popped his knuckles, "can you handle something that has a little bit more fight in it?"

Kage blinked slowly, unimpressed. With a completely bored tone she asked, "Rules?"

"Rules? For you, let's see... I'm gonna say there ain't no rules but to win."

A slow grin drew itself upon her lips. "Perfect." With a pop of her own knuckles she drew back a fist to punch but quickly dodged Rafe's defense, recoiled, and swept his legs out from under him. With her knees on either side of the man she brought her hands down to his throat.

Rafe's expression was hardly what the Spiran expected. Instead of the wide-eyes and terror she normally received from her opponents she was greeted with a choked laugh that caused her to lessen her grip. "You got some spice in you! Please continue!" He reached up and wrapped his arms around the woman's torso flipping her so that she was beneath him and now in a headlock. Kage growled and bit down on the man's hand. It did little to lessen his hold. In fact, he licked his lips and practically purred, "Mm, baby, you can bite me any time."

Kage responded with a knee to his groin that had him grunting and finally rolling off of her. Ramirez's laughter rang in her ears as she elbowed Rafe hard in the stomach and then drew back a fist ready to punch. The marine caught it in his large hand easily and was about to retaliate when a deep voice boomed in the gym.

"Enough!"

Three heads quickly spun to Lieutenant Colonel Connors striding in from the doorway with a locked jaw. Rafe was scrambling to get out from underneath Kage and to his feet by the time he made it to the mats. "Are you idiots trying to get yourselves killed for no reason? When you spar there are rules. It is not a fucking free-for-all. Who the hell are you?" His eyes shot straight to Kage.

Kage gave an annoyed huff from her place still on the mat. "Who wants to know?"

"Kage," Ramirez answered. "Kashoku's better half, sir."

Connors gave a snort. "That so? Aren't you supposed to have escorts at all times?"

Kage shrugged. "They're on the basketball court. Unlike some people, we place nice with one another."

Her response only seemed to harden the man's face more than it already was. "Their instructions are to keep their eyes on you at all times which clearly they are not doing. Your airmen and I will be having words."

Kage huffed angrily. Great. Now that she had gotten them in trouble they for sure wouldn't allow her any space. Who the fuck did this guy think he was? "Well, look at you all high and mighty walking around like you own this place or some shit." Finally rising to her feet Kage crossed her arms and glared. "I don't have to take orders from you."

Connors looked far more amused than angry, as if it were almost adorable that someone dared to back talk him. Making his way towards the Spiran he drew up the corner of his lip into a smirk. "You are on Earth now, _girl_, and you'd better learn your place before I have to put you there." He flashed his whites at her in a pseudo-smile.

Kage gave a curt laugh. "You think you can just intimidate me and push me around? I've got news for you, pal, I've faced fiends far scarier than the likes of you. I'm done." With one last snarl she turned her back to the three and stomped out.

"God damn," Rafe whispered in shock. He had never seen anyone talk to his team leader that way before.

Connors hummed deeply before speaking, "Interesting. Not a thing like I expected her to be."

"Sorry, sir, I didn't think-," Ramirez began but was cut off by Connors's hand.

"She's got a bite. I like that. Keep an eye on her. I want to know what she does around here."

"Sir?" Rafe questioned in confusion.

"What does her attitude remind you of, Captain?"

"A marine," Ramirez answered proudly.

"Exactly. If she is going to stay on this base for any length of time then she might as well make herself useful."

Ramirez let out an amused snort. "Even if she is going to stay here, you honestly think the Pentagon and General Hammond are going to let her on a team?"

Connors merely shrugged. "Just do as I ask. Report all her actions to me, is that understood?"

"Sir," Rafe and Ramirez nodded in acceptance.

Things had been fairly slow for SG-15 this past week which everyone was thankful for, but it left a lot of empty time to kill. Rodd always was busy with some sort of contraption, but Wells and Carr were soldiers who had nothing better to do when there wasn't a gun in their hands. Kashoku did her best to con them into teaching her things and telling her more about their culture as often as she could. For the most part, Carr was more than happy to run his mouth.

He was in the middle of going on about his favorite sports team – the San Diego Chargers – when there was a knock at the door.

McKay didn't wait for permission to enter. The scientist strode right towards Kashoku with a pleased grin on his face. "Well, you're not blonde, but you'll certainly do."

Kashoku frowned. "Excuse me?"

"Ah, sorry, Dr. McKay. I've been running tests on Kage's dress spheres the past few days and she tells me that you have a few that she doesn't. I'd like to see them if you have time."

Kashoku swallowed nervously remembering what Kage and Sam had told her about the man. "Um…"

"We're kind of busy," Wells piped up, "going over important mission intel. You'll have to come back later."

"Yeah, because discussing your fantasy football league is real important," McKay snarked without even looking in the man's direction. "Kashoku, if you'd please?" It wasn't much of a question.

With a defeated sigh Kashoku pushed herself out of her chair and reached into the drawer where she kept her sphere grid. "Lead the way."

McKay grinned and took off with a skip to his step. Kashoku only wished she could be so enthusiastic about it.

What the Spiran had hoped would take only an hour or two at best turned into almost an entire day of McKay going through _every_ one of her spheres whether Kage had it or not. Had the man had an ounce of professionalism, Kashoku could have stood it, but no. Dr. McKay was everything Sam and Kage had insinuated he was. No doubt he was brilliant judging by some of the conclusions he was reaching about the spheres just from observation alone, but never before had Kashoku been made to feel so self-conscious about her sphere outfits. Just this once she had pleaded that there was far more fabric than there was just so Dr. McKay would stop staring at her so lasciviously.

Fuming with anger and annoyance when she was finally 'granted' leave, Kashoku slammed the door to Daniel's lab so hard that it startled the man to the point of his glasses slipping off his nose and onto the desk.

With a cough Daniel slid his glasses back onto their proper place and gave the woman a questioning, guarded look. "Uh… Do you want to talk about it..?" he hazarded.

"That man is disgusting!" Kashoku hissed, throwing herself in a chair for only a moment before deciding she'd rather pace.

Daniel watched her move about carefully. "You'll have to be more specific. I could name several off of my head from that description."

"Dr. McKay!" she clarified, huffing loudly in frustration. "He subjected me to all these stupid so-called tests that were mostly just an excuse to see me practically naked in my spheres!"

Daniel's quizzical look quickly turned harsh. "He what?"

"I blame Kage for this!" Kashoku growled, completely ignoring Daniel's question. "She always does this. She always has to have someone share in her pain and misery instead of just sucking it up and dealing with it! Never, not ever on Spira, have I dealt with someone so…so…ugh!"

"Okay, honey, calm down." Daniel moved so that he could put his hand on her shoulders and look her in the eye. "He didn't…touch you, did he?"

Kashoku crossed her arms and blew a strand of hair out of her face. "You think he'd be alive if he did? Please. Honestly, every time he did look at me his face went red. When I caught him in the actual act of staring he'd turn away and start mumbling as if he had no idea what to say in front of pretty girl. I don't think it was in him to touch me."

"Still, Kashoku, if you felt uncomfortable you had no obligation to stay there. You should have spoken up to someone about it," Daniel argued, feeling slightly relieved that nothing had happened, but clearly agitated at the situation.

"It sure didn't feel like I had a choice," Kashoku argued back.

"It probably won't do much good considering he's a valuable asset, but I'm reporting his behavior."

"Daniel, no-," Kashoku began arguing, but Daniel cut her off.

"He could use a talking to about it. His genius doesn't excuse him."

"Sam is a genius, too," she countered. "Why do we need him?"

"Different specialties, I guess." Daniel shrugged. "I'm almost done translating this text if you want to go and have dinner somewhere."

With a sigh of relief Kashoku nodded. "Please just get me out of here."

The hallways were practically empty as Kage finally decided to leave the gym, her new routine after any afternoon spent in McKay's company. After so many hours of running on the treadmill and lifting weights even she was growing tired from it. Before rounding the corner to her room the sirens suddenly started going off. Kage gave them a brief glance before opening her door. It hadn't taken long for her to get used to the constant noise of off-world teams returning home. What did surprise her was the sudden flicker of lights and the darkness that quickly followed it.

"The hell….?" Kage frowned. After giving her eyes a few minutes to adjust she fumbled her way to the dresser for her sphere grid, changing into her Warrior sphere just in case. There was no one in the halls, just the soft red glow of the emergency lights. Summoning her sword she began slowly making her trek down the hallway keeping her eyes open and focused.

At the crossing she saw several soldiers with their guns in hand running down the hallway. They didn't see her, or if they did they paid her no attention. Just as she was about to round the corner something grabbed hold of her shoulder. Instincts kicking in, Kage lashed out, striking a solid blow to whatever was behind her, buying time to take a step away and swing around with her sword raised to strike.

Captain Ramirez grabbed hold of the woman's wrist in time to keep the blade from slicing her open. "Whoa, _chica_, calm down."

Kage frowned and jerked her arm away. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh, I work here, remember?" Ramirez snorted.

"What's happening?"

The Latina gave a shrug. "Your guess is as good as mine, but considering a team was returning right before the lights went out, I'd say something followed them through. It's happened before. The entire base is on lock-down. No one gets in or out."

"Then let's hunt the sons-of-bitches down and kill them," Kage stated as she brought sword to throat as emphasis.

Ramriez hummed with excitement. "Agreed. I like a little manhunt, but I need someone I trust to watch my 6, _chica. _Here, let me show you the emergency hatches for the stairs and we can part ways." Ramirez motioned for her to follow and made for the brightest red light hovering over a hatch. "You can access all levels through these. I'm going to find my team and raid the arsenal." With not so much as a wave goodbye Ramirez opened the hatch and began her ascent to the next level.

Well, Kage figured, if they came in through the Gate then the best place to start was the Gate room. Somewhere along the way she had lost her escort service in the chaos. Good. Although, they knew the SGC a lot better than she did. Maybe Ramirez was right, though. She needed someone to watch her 6, and the only person _she_ trusted was Kashoku. Without much more thought she found herself crawling into the same hatch Ramirez had gone through and began the decent to the floor she knew SG-15's office was. The hallways were dark – the only light coming from red emergency lights on the floor – but Kage had always had exceptional eyesight in the dark. She maneuvered easily to the office, but was disappointed that the person at the other end of the barrel directed at her face was not Kashoku.

"Jesus," Wells breathed as he clicked the safety back on his baretta. "You snuck up like a god damn ninja."

"Where's Kashoku?" Kage asked, her blue eyes scanning the room and noticing her friend's absence.

Wells shrugged. "She hasn't been down here since McKay confiscated her for his research after your little session. I definitely wouldn't leave her alone with that guy in the dark."

Kage growled. "Kashoku can handle that guy, but if I find out he's touched a hair on her head in all of this I will make him wish he never had a penis. What is all this anyway?" she asked, trying to gain information. "Ramirez told me this was some sort of lock down but then just ran off. If something came through, let's go get the son-of-a-bitch."

"Easier said than done," Carr spoke from his seat. "One time this happened and we couldn't even see what we were fighting. General Hammond is hopefully briefing the team that came back through to try and figure out whatever it is we are going after. Good news is I haven't heard any active signs of fighting, so it's nothing _too_ hostile. On the other hand, we at least usually have lights. So…"

Kage's eyes narrowed in confusion. "So, what? You're just going to sit here and do nothing about it?"

"Saving the day is SG-1's job, not ours," Wells shrugged.

"Point," Carr agreed.

Rodd simply looked back down at his desk when Kage turned to look at him. She gave a huff of annoyance. "Fine. Sit here if you want, but I'm going to find Kashoku and we are going to track whatever it is down."

"Have at it. It's all yours," Carr spoke with a grin. "Just scream if you need us."

"Like you'd even get off your ass." With a roll of her eyes Kage backtracked to the escape hatch and descended several floors to McKay's lab. It seemed like most teams were taking the SG-15 approach and staying put wherever they were. Those she had past seemed to be running around in frenzy, not knowing what to do. Sword at the ready she approached the lab, ready for anything that might pop out at her. "Kash?" she called out, stepping into the darkness. Nothing. "Kashoku?"

"Oh thank god! Somehow is here to rescue me!"

It was McKay. With an annoyed sigh Kage responded, "Go rescue yourself. I'm looking for Kashoku. Is she here?"

McKay's head popped up behind the desk, illuminated by the red lighting. "Kashoku? Ah, no. She left about an hour ago."

"Great," Kage sighed. "I'm out of here."

"Wait! You can't just leave me here! I mean, who knows what's out there!" McKay came halfway out from behind the desk in his panic.

"There's been no sign of anything since I started looking for whatever 'it' is-" Kage cut herself off as the emergency lights in the room flickered and then died.

"Oh my god, I'm going to die," McKay whimpered.

Kage gripped her sword firmly as the air went cold around her, chills running up her spine. Even her eyes needed a moment to adjust in the complete darkness, but she could feel a presence in the room other than the cowering scientist. Licking her lips she began letting the magic flow through to her fingertips before lighting up the room with a fireball. Bright yellow eyes stared back at her from the far wall, belonging to a towering figure made of shadow. It was somewhat humanoid, with overly long limbs and a faceless head save the eyes.

"Holy shit!"

McKay's yelp brought her back to her senses and she was throwing the fire at the creature. It seemed at least somewhat effective as the creature shrieked and the emergency red lights flickered back on, but it also seemed to provoke the thing as it immediately decided to make a lunge for McKay, the scientist still frozen in fear in plain sight behind his desk. She drew magic to her fingertips and threw her hand out, but there was no time, the fireball wasn't formed fully and the creature was fast-

In a panic she shouted, "STOP!"

The shadow froze. Its shadowy hand, tips ending in needle-like points, was held immobile just above McKay's head. Slowly, almost achingly so, the faceless head turned towards Kage, the only movement the creature gave as its beady yellow eyes narrowed in her direction. It didn't move again.

The room was filled with Kage's heavy breaths. She knew her face did not show it, but the Spiran was shocked at what had just happened. She licked her lips slowly. "McKay... You okay?"

McKay slowly pried open his shut eyes and stared in horror at his near-death experience, immobilized inches from his face. "It…stopped. Did you use some sort of spell on it?"

No. She hadn't. "Yeah… Yeah, don't move."

"Not moving!" McKay squeaked as he froze.

Kage was unsure if she should attack the creature with another round of magic or try just…telling it what to do. It remained unmoving, simply staring at her. Swallowing hard, she decided to try option b, forming a complete fireball just in case it failed. When it was ready, she opened her mouth and ordered: "Leave."

With what almost seemed like a growl the creature retracted back and disappeared from the room as easily as it had come. When the red emergency lights flickered once, then came back on fully, Kage lowered her sword. What the fuck.

"That was amazing!" McKay exclaimed as he popped out from behind the desk, rushing to her side. "You just saved my life! You never told me you could do that when I was doing my tests before."

Kage felt pretty confident she shouldn't admit that she didn't _know_ that was something she could do. It might raise far too many questions and frankly she did not want to spend any more time with Dr. McKay trying to solve some new mystery power. Instead, she said, "It…rarely works. I didn't think to mention it at the time."

"Holy shit," McKay breathed, trying to get his heart to calm down. "There's no way that our weapons can deal with those things. I saw it when it was in front of me – the claws looked real enough but the rest of it was gaseous. I don't think it's solid enough to take damage from projectile weapons."

"A living shadow," Kage murmured.

"What are we going to do?"

"I need to find Kashoku. Now," Kage demanded, knowing that her friend might be the only one to offer up any sort of explanation. "If you have any idea where she might be, now is the time to share."

"Okay, okay," McKay scratched at his head. "I think she said something about going to Dr. Jackson's lab after we were done."

Daniel. Of-fucking-course. Why couldn't it have been Sam's lab again? "Fine. Let's go."

McKay's eyes widened and he let out a nervous cough. "Uh, me?"

Kage rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated groan. "Yes, you. Or do you want me to leave you here for that thing to come back to?"

"Nope, coming!" he responded with a new-found enthusiasm.

Kage could tell where the creature had just been as the lights came on behind its path. For a moment she thought about going on and following it, but she knew she was right in finding Kashoku first. "This way," she said, moving in the opposite direction. Thankfully, Daniel's lab was on the same floor. As they rounded the first corner Kage suddenly found herself flinching back as a bright white light shone at the end of the hallway. The source was behind the next corner, but whatever was causing it was enough to make her eyes hurt.

"Jesus Christ, is that a flashlight?" McKay asked as he turned his face away.

"Wouldn't count on it," Kage said warily, although she hoped that it was just one of the SGC personnel. "Stay behind me." Kage raised her sword and looked to the floor as they slowly approached the corner. A sense of dread filled her heart, knowing Daniel's office was on that part of the hallway. With a cry she turned the corner and brought her sword down on something that caused a loud 'clang'.

"Kage!" Kashoku's voice squealed in the darkness. "Weren't you going to look before you started swinging things?!"

The light dimmed and Kage was able to see that the source was Kashoku herself in her white mage robes, her staff glowing brightly. "Kashoku! Thank Yevon!"

Kashoku's expression did not falter from the heavy frown set upon her face. "You could have killed us."

Kage snorted at Daniel over her friend's shoulder. "Him, I wouldn't have minded."

"Enough chit-chat, we need to figure out what to do about the monstrous murderous shadow inhabiting this base!" McKay piped up from behind, sounding just a touch hysterical as he glanced around nervously.

"So you saw it too," Daniel noted. "Kashoku's guns were completely useless against it, but it hates the light."

"Forget light, Kage was able to just tell the thing to leave and it went! Some sort of mind-control magic of hers," McKay mentioned with glee.

Kage expected the look Kashoku gave her.

"Mind-control magic?" Kashoku asked carefully.

"Yeah, you know, the Stop spell," Kage responded as if it were obvious, but in a way she could get Kashoku to just drop the issue.

"Yes…I know the one," Kashoku responded, picking up on the hint, but giving Kage a very skeptical glance. "Plan? If you can get them to listen to you, should we try and take them out all in one place?"

"Why not just lead them to the Gate Room?" Daniel suggested. "See if maybe we can get them to go back where they came from."

"I like Kashoku's plan better," Kage responded. "More violence. That's kind of my thing."

"Kage, we don't even know how many of them there are! You and Kashoku can't take them all out on your own," he argued.

McKay forced himself in between the two and offered up a solution. "Why don't I work on getting our lights back on? I can wire it so that the only lights to be off would be the gate room. If the light is what bothers them, then they'll all have to flock there. We dial the gate and then turn the lights on so that their only escape is to go through the gate."

"That's a good plan," Kashoku agreed. "Do you think you can make it happen?"

McKay rolled his eyes, "Of _course_ I can. I can make anything happen given the necessary time and resources. The power generators are located on floor seven. That's a lot of stairs to climb, so we better get moving. I also might have an asthma attack so someone make sure they are ready for that."

"Just fucking move already," Kage growled as she pushed the man back towards the other direction.

It was indeed a very long climb during which McKay bitched the entire way. Kage had insisted that she be the only one to climb in behind Kashoku – much to McKay's chagrin – as the white mage robes offered a view. "Okay, we're here, hurry it up."

"Let me at least catch my breath!" the scientist hissed as he plopped into the chair in front of the main computer. The man at least became quiet as he began typing away rapidly.

"So this happens a lot?" Kashoku asked with a tinge of amusement towards Daniel.

"Oh, yeah," he nodded. "Definitely more than anyone would like."

"So how does this one compare to the others? Worse? Better? Same?" Kashoku asked, trying to keep the conversation light.

Daniel shrugged. "Somewhere in the middle, I guess."

"Almost there," McKay called out. "They only shorted the wires. Easy fix. I'm by-passing it now…There." The lights powered on.

Kashoku allowed her robes to disappear leaving her in her normal SGC wear. "How will we know that the creatures are all in the gate room when you turn off the lights? And who will dial the gate?"

That was Kage's cue. "I'll let you know when they arrive. Are the elevators working?"

"I can dial the gate remotely from here. As for the elevators, give me a few more minutes," McKay snapped in response.

"Forget it, I'll climb down. Just make sure you can get the door to the gate room open for me. Do you have something we can communicate with?" Kage asked.

Daniel looked around the room and spotted a pair of radios. "Here, use these. Just press and hold this button to talk."

"Yeah, yeah," Kage waived him off, clipping the radio to her belt and wasting no time in heading back to the hatch. With gloves on and her good boots, she could make an easy slide down all the way to level 28. Positioning herself just right on the ladder she let herself go. Most spheres were designed to be able to complete the task, if not something somewhat similar. Pulling out the radio, she signaled, "Okay, I'm about to approach the gate room."

_"Give me just a few more…. Got it. You should be good to go."_

Just as Kage rounded the corner towards the gate room the doors opened to the darkened area and she stepped in.

_"Anything?"_

"Hold on," she responded back. Kage stood there silently, waiting for any of the indicators that the creatures were in the same room with her.

_Too much light! Dark!_

Kage's eyes widened as her body grew cold. The beady yellow eyes began glowing all over the gate room. Had they…just tried to communicate with her? "McKay, dial the gate! They're here!"

_DARK!_

The gate began to spin in front of Kage, the symbols lighting up with each lock. "Go through the gate back to your world and you can have your dark back, do you understand me?!"

The last seal of the gate locked and the gate room was suddenly ablaze with blue light. Kage had to cover her ears as the creatures began to shriek in pain. In full out fury the creatures gathered together and made a lunge at Kage. Mustering up the largest fire spell she could Kage set the room ablaze. "GO!" she commanded.

The room seemed to shake beneath the creatures' growls, but one-by-one they flew through the gate and then the wormhole dissipated, plunging her back into darkness. It didn't last long. Before Kage could even get a word out the lights flashed on in the room and about a dozen guns were suddenly pointed at her with General Hammond right in the middle. With a heavy sigh Kage threw up her hands. "Uh, excuse me, but I'm pretty sure this isn't how you say 'thank you.'"

"For what, exactly, Miss Yamino?" General Hammond asked with a hardened glare. "Trying to light my base on fire?"

_"Kage! Are they gone? Did it work?" _McKay's voice came over the radio.

_"Kage, are you okay!? Answer!"_ Kashoku's worried voice cackled through the device.

It was obvious from Hammond's expression that he hadn't planned on hearing any familiar voices on the other end of the radio. Gesturing for her to hand it out, Hammond took the radio and spoke into the device, "Anyone who is on the other end of this radio has five minutes to get to the debriefing room." Looking towards Kage he motioned for her to follow him. "This way, Miss Yamino."

The soldiers lowered their weapons as she walked by, and Kage's heartbeat slowed down. Although she'd never have shown it, she'd been worried she was about to be shot five seconds ago. It took a little over five minutes for McKay, Daniel, and Kashoku to appear in the room.

"Doctors, do you mind telling me what happened?" Hammond inquired sharply, leaving the two Spiran women out of his questioning.

McKay and Daniel looked towards each other before Daniel extended a hand. "Ah, you first."

McKay cleared his throat. "Well. There I was just casually working on some of my files when suddenly alarms went blaring and the lights turned off. Next thing I know Kage shows up looking for Kashoku and then it goes _completely_ dark and there are…_things_ in the room with us, some sort of gaseous shadow entity with unsettlingly long and very real looking claws. Kage saved me from becoming monster meat. After that we went and found Kashoku who was with Dr. Jackson and we devised the plan you saw put into motion and well, here we are."

"Sir, if I may," Daniel added, "our weapons were useless against whatever these things were. Kage's magic was what worked, and without her I'm not really sure what we would have done."

Kage knew from Kashoku's smile that the only reason Daniel had offered up that comment was to make Kashoku happy and it made her sick to her stomach. She did not need to be glorified.

"My black magic skills are no where up to par. Kage really helped, sir," Kashoku added.

Hammond cast a glance towards Kage and all the Spiran could offer in return was a shrug. "What can I say? Fighting dark evil things is kind of my gig."

"I'll need official reports from the three of you. Dismissed." Hammond offered nothing else as he left for his office.

"Great. More paperwork," McKay groused as he, too, walked away.

"You didn't have to stick up for Kage like that. Thank you." Kashoku beamed towards Daniel.

"Yeah, no, really, you didn't," Kage grumbled with disappointment. "Now he's going to think I'm useful for something more than sitting on my ass."

"That's because you are!" Kashoku argued. "Daniel?"

Daniel instantly understood, and gave Kashoku a kiss on the cheek before bidding her farewell.

Kage made a gagging noise. "So, what? You two are officially back together or whatever?"

"Yes." Kashoku stated proudly. She stood there, arms crossed, staring at Kage for several moments.

"_What_?" Kage snapped, tired of being under her friend's stare.

A smile curled at the edge of Kashoku's lips. "You had fun today."

Uh-uh. She was not playing this game. "Oh yeah, tons of fun being stuck with Dr. McKay in the dark."

"Come on, Kage! Admit it! You kind of enjoyed the thrill of it all."

Kage pushed away from her position leaning against the large table and began to walk off. "What the hell are you getting at, Kashy?"

Kashoku had to jog for a few seconds to catch up to Kage in the now bustling hallway. "If you tried a little harder maybe you could be out doing this every day! Using your magic! Speaking of magic-"

_Here we go_. "Look, Kashoku, it was nothing. Dr. McKay just didn't know what he was seeing. I used some black magic mixed with blue and it had some weird effects, okay? I assure you nothing was out of the ordinary for you and me. I just didn't want to make him think it was anything special or worth another ten hours of 'observation.'"

"That I can understand," Kashoku sighed. "But you're sure everything's okay?"

"Other than you not shutting up, it's fine and dandy." Thankfully the bluntness was enough to keep Kashoku from prying anymore. "Look, I just want to go to sleep. Can I do that without you, maybe?"

Kashoku rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Sure," Kage sighed and split from the ex-singer. She was sure that by the time she woke up her security detail would be firmly back in place and her few hours of freedom would be gone, but she didn't care. As soon as she returned her Warrior sphere to the grid and kicked off her boots, she let herself fall into a deep slumber.

"So I was thinking," Daniel started from his position at the stove. In his promise to teach Kashoku how to cook he had started taking her back to his apartment at nights. More times than not lately she had been sending the night, the pair both too exhausted to bother with the travels to and from the SGC more than once a day.

"Hmm?" Kashoku asked as she finished setting the table.

"Since you already are spending more time here as it is, and with us trying to make it so we see each other more often…" Daniel shifted uncomfortably before pushing his glasses up his nose nervously. "I was wondering if you maybe wanted to move in here on a more permanent basis."

There was a moment of shock on her face before she tucked back a loose strand of hair and smiled gently. "You mean you want me to move in with you."

"More or less," Daniel nodded. "I mean, we'd need to start teaching you to drive so that you can take yourself to and from when our schedules are different, but if you can fly _Wing_ it shouldn't be too hard to teach you how to drive a car-"

"I'd love to," Kashoku answered, cutting the archaeologist off before his rambling got too far in depth.

Daniel was stunned at the quick response, almost not believing it. "Yeah?"

Kashoku grinned as she journeyed over to him and placed a kiss to his lips. "Yes. I don't know what it is, but I just feel like today is some sort of…landmark."

"Oh? How so?"

Kashoku shrugged. "Just a day for change, I suppose. I think Kage is finally finding her place here on Earth, and I'm finding mine. It's time to take the next big step, and I want mine to be with you." Reaching behind Daniel she turned off the stove and took his hands in hers. "I'm thinking dinner can wait…"

It was hard to miss the seductive look on the Spiran's face as she slowly began tugging him towards the bedroom. "Yeah, I'm thinking the same thing."

Kage was awakened by a heavy knocking on the door and a booming voice calling for her. It was Rogers, she could tell. "WHAT?" she shouted as she rolled over onto her back.

"General Hammond wants to see you. Sounded urgent."

Great. Flinging the covers off she shoved her feet into her boots and headed for the door.

Rogers grinned. "You look like shit."

"Ha ha, thanks, asshole," Kage growled. "Did he say what he wanted? I mean, I've been asleep since I last saw him. I swear I didn't do anything."

Rogers shrugged. "Don't know. Guess you'll just have to find out when you get there."

Kage groaned as they got on the elevator and descended downwards. Hammond's door was open as they approached it, but he quickly motioned for Kage to shut it behind her. "Sir-"

"Sit down and listen, Miss Yamino," Hammond snapped, obviously in no mood to dance around.

It was a trait Kage appreciated in the man, although annoying. With a roll of her eyes she let herself sink into the chair in front of the desk. Something had made the general extremely unhappy.

"Not thirty minutes after I submitted the reports from Doctors Jackson and McKay did I receive a phone call from the Pentagon demanding to know why I was keeping one of our greatest assets under lock and key here at my facility. They gave me orders to have you put on a team immediately and to start sending you out there."

Kage's eyes widened in surprise. Was she still asleep? This could not be happening. "Sir, I _really_ am not a team player-,"

"I don't want you on a team anymore than you want to be on one, Miss Yamino, but they made themselves very clear on this issue," Hammond assured with great vigor. "I'll make myself clear, however, that you will be put on very select missions and I will be looking for every excuse to have you removed immediately."

"Great, sounds like a good plan," Kage agreed. "So I'll be with SG-15, right?"

"Absolutely not." Hammond scoffed as if that were the most idiotic thing Kage could have possibly suggested. "I assure you your new team leader will have you under a far more watchful eye than your current security detail. Miss Yamino, this is SG-11's and, against my better judgment, your leader, Lieutenant Colonel Connors."

Connors? Why did that name sound familiar? Kage shifted around in her seat as the door behind her was opened and got her second shock of the day. Of course. Colonel Connors also know as the asshole who'd gotten on her case not even a week ago. Great. This was going to be a fucking disaster.

"This is going to be a disaster," General Hammond sighed once Kage left the office, Connors calmly taking the seat she'd vacated.

"Probably, but at least it'll be entertaining." Connors twitched the barest of smiles at Hammond as the other man gave him a dry look. "She has potential," he said eventually.

"She's a loose cannon at best, Colonel. No matter what they tell me at the Pentagon, if she poses any danger to the men and women alongside her, she'll be off my base never to return before even Ms. Yoshiko can defend her." Hammond leveled a singer finger in Connors's direction. "I know your type, and I know you think you can handle her, but if there is even a shred of doubt in your mind at any point, I want to know the second it forms."

Connors inclined his head. "Understood, sir." His expression was agreeable, posture relaxed, open and forthcoming, with none of the attitude Colonel O'Neill regularly projected, but Hammond got the exact same message all the same.

"You're not going to tell me a damn thing," he groused after a long silence.

Connors grinned, easy and slow, just a shade too cat with the canary. "You made the right decision giving her over to me. And with all due respect, sir, you've never complained about my methods in the past. Yamino won't be a problem. In fact, I dare say she'll fit right in with my team."

"I hope you're right, Colonel, for all our sakes." General Hammond finally looked down and sighed. With a deep foreboding but hands tied on the matter, he signed his approval on the bottom of the document on his desk. "Kage Yamino is officially part of SG-11 now."

**TO BE CONTINUED IN BOOK 2**


End file.
